Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries:
Well, that has been an incredible week in Fiji. We managed to score Cloudbreak at 4 to 8 foot and Restaurants at 4-6 foot. Both days are highlights that we will never forget. Box of Light has been up in Fiji with four of New Zealand's most promising young surfers and they've stepped up to every challenge thrown at them by the Pacific Ocean. That's a tall order on waves like Cloudbreak, which is among the most powerful (and most beautiful) in the world.
So, here's an intro to the Fiji Four:
Kaya Horne
He's the happiest guy on the planet with an infectious smile and a wit that can turn any stony-faced boatman into fits of laughter. He's 16, not the youngest of the four, but at 48kg he's the lightest. His twiggy frame doesn't stop him from taking off on super-sized Cloudbreak on his backhand. Kaya is orginally from Mount Maunganui, but now spends most of his time at Burleigh on the Gold Coast. He has an instinctive air game to back up his ability to put his small boards on rail. Definitely one to watch.
Elliott Brown
The only South Islander on the Fiji 2017 High Performance Camp, Elliott (17) is known for his ability to sniff out the best waves and hack them to pieces with his powerful carving turns. In Fiji he's relished time on his forehand and has taken that rail-to-rail surfing to some solid Restaurants and Cloudbreak walls. Elliott's also honed his barrel riding even further and has developed a taste for solid overhead waves. He's super smart, super humble and would have to be one of the nicest people in surfing. Add to watchlist.
Caleb Cutmore
He's the baby of our group at just 15. But he's far from a baby. He's almost six-foot tall and strong as an ox. He's the quiet achiever in the Fiji Four – just quietly hunts down the best waves and surfs them with complete flow. It's not surprising to learn he grew up in Hamilton – there is something very Raglan about the lines he takes and the sections he connects with. Big waves don't phase him and he's adept at getting barrelled. Defintely one to keep your eye on here.
Jonas Tawharu
At 18, Jonas is the oldest of our athletes in Fiji. He has a wealth of experience and is one of the hardest workers we've seen – especially when faced with overhead, heavy surf. He very quickly earned the nickname Occy on our trip simply because of his sheer power, full extension, driving bottom turns and whopping great turns. And he has a barrel sense that hints at time chasing pits around the Bay of Plenty and more recently Indonesia. Some sessions it felt like a WCT pro had turned up to dominate the lineup. Jonas's star is rising ...
Hanging out with these athletes this week in Fiji and watching them surf has been a real priviledge. The future of New Zealand surfing is in good hands.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS The Fiji 2017 High Performance Camp has been made possible thanks to Skinnies Sungel, Vunabaka Resort, Surfing New Zealand, Andy Griffiths, Chris Fougere and a bunch of visionary Kiwi families who just want to see our best surfers given the opportunity to shine on the world stage. Vinaka vakalevu.
Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries: