Surfing: Home advantage for locals only

Tane Wallis says Piha is so changeable you have to be prepared for anything. Photo / Sarah Ivey

There's an old saying in surfing: "You never surf as well as you surf your home break."

That being the case, Piha local Tane Wallis is well-placed for a strong showing at the World Junior Surf Championships over the next week.

With the ability to adjust to the tricky conditions at the rugged West Auckland beach likely to be key to the success in the event, Wallis, a year 11 student at Henderson High School, is tipped to be one to watch in the Under-16 category.

But Wallis believes with the conditions at Piha so changeable, local knowledge won't be as big a factor as many are counting on.

"Being from here doesn't really mean too much - there are such varying conditions you can't ever really say you've figured it out," he said.

"It can be completely different every day, so I think it'll be a pretty level playing field."

Assistant coach and team manager James Fowell has high expectations of his young charge.

He believes if the big swells that are predicted eventuate, the conditions will play in to Wallis' hands.

"Tane has every chance of winning this thing - especially if the swell picks up," said Fowell.

"He's extremely aggressive in the surf and he can pull some radical moves out there so we're expecting him to do very, very well."

Wallis admits he loves the big surf, but will be prepared for anything that is thrown at him.

"You can't just turn up and hope for the best, you've got to surf what's out there," he said.

After a quiet 2009, Wallis found form at the right time, finishing the year off with back-to-back wins in Rip Curl GromSearch events to secure his place in the Kiwi team for the World Champs.

Despite the event being staged in his backyard, Wallis said he isn't feeling under any extra pressure to perform.

"I'm not really paying too much attention to what people are saying. Anybody that makes their national team has to be a good surfer, so anybody here can win."

Wallis is one of two Piha residents in the 12-strong New Zealand team, the other being Elliot Paerata-Reid, who at just 13-years-old is the baby of the team.