Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries:
We've had a few days in Kaikoura this week for the final round of the South Island Grom Series. Kaikoura is an easy destination to plan a mission to. The waves are nearly always on somewhere and the backdrop is a stunning wedge of mountain ranges.
A promising swell forecast also helps. The South Island grom circuit has become renowned for the quality of its events (and generous cash prizes) and that has attracted some of the best surfers from the North Island. That means we get some of the country's top surfers vying for the top spot. In my mind that's pretty special.
New Zealand is already a small pond in the grand scheme of things, but by having the best surfers rubbing shoulders with the best in the south – it elevates the entire field. The bar is set high and it gets higher every time the young surfers compete at a new event.
Standouts from this event would have to be Benji Lowen, who again displayed such amazing speed and commitment in the best waves, along with Indica Knox Corcoran who tore his Under 12 final to pieces like a seasoned champ. Tao Mouldey took two wins from his two events with domination of the Under 14s and Under 16s – just superb. Then there are surfers like Jack Hinton and Ava Henderson who won their Under 18s with great variety in their surfing – further cementing their place in New Zealand surfing.
Other girls to stamp their authority on the event include North Island double finalists Chloe and Lola Groube, along with Leia Millar and Alani Morse.
When it comes to all the parents, contests are brutal. They're a rollercoaster of emotion and learning in a pressure-cooker type environment. We survived some early exits, but thrive on the occasion of it all. Thankfully, the free surfs around the contest site keep everything in balance.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS We might have missed a huge session at a local reef a few weeks ago, but a friend of ours, Dave Lyons, managed to capture all the action. You can read his story right here on NZ Surf Journal.
Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries: