After having the Health 2000 2020 New Zealand Surfing Championships in town this past week I'd have to say New Zealand has a pretty amazing group of competitive surfers. And the team from Surfing New Zealand and our very own South Coast Boardriders can take a bow for tackling a tricky set of forecasts and delivering such a high calibre event.
The pinnacle event is the Open and in both the men's and women's it delivered some incredible athletes to the finals and the top of the podium.
In the men's, Billy Stairmand, of Raglan, was going for his eighth title – extending his record even further – and he was the form surfer all through the early rounds. But Piha's Elliot Paerata-Reid had other ideas. The pair turned the final into a thrilling show of one upmanship. Each time Billy raised the stakes Elliot answered. The pair went to the air in an exchange that caused the large crowd on the esplanade to erupt. Then the ocean went flat and suddenly Billy was adrift of his title hopes. Congrats, Elliot, for a well played final.
In the women's open Ava Henderson, 14, found her way into the final. She'd only convinced her mum at the last minute that she should enter the open. She's something of a teenage phenom when it comes to surfing so it was no surprise that she contested three finals: the Under 16s, Under 18s and Open Women's. In the Under 16s she drew a feisty bunch that took the final to the wire with less than .6 of a point splitting first from fourth. Liv Haysom took that title and in doing so handed Ava the psychological fire she needed to win the Under 18s.
She then went into the Open Women's as an outside chance against a formidable pack that included local ripper Hayley Pascoe (nee Coakes), defending champion Aimee Brown and Gabrielle Paul, who was riding the high from winning the Women's Longboard title.
Ava never took her foot off the gas and built her final with masterful precision to become one of the youngest ever to win an open title. Inspiring.
But possibly what makes Ava so special is her character and inclusive nature. She's bringing a whole swarm of young surfers along on her journey with her and when you have champions capable of that it bodes well for the future of surfing in New Zealand.
The photos in today's report are the people of surfing in New Zealand and some of the moments from the past six days of competition. For a full 10 Best Moments check out this story over on NZ Surf Journal.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS We published the full story of the Super Heat over on New Zealand Surf Journal. Grab a coffee, take five and click right here to see what went down.
Proudly supported by:
