April 19th 2022: Monster comp

The South Island Surfing Champs has grown to become one of the premier surf contests in New Zealand. It attracts the very best surfers from around New Zealand (and one from WA and one from USA) to St Clair for four days each Easter. Most of the surfers and their families come early ... or stay on for another week to explore our surf coasts.

It's a huge event that is run by the South Coast Boardriders Association with support from Emerson's Brewery, Hydro Surf and a cast of many, many volunteers. For most of the competitors it is considered to be one of the best and most well-run events in the country.

There are always waves and this year a south swell has kept competitors (and organisers) on their toes. Conditions have varied from playful to treacherous and back again. They even employed the water safety team of James Cross and Joe Dirt through the peak of the swell ... which also coincided with a high tide. Certainly nice to have them not far away if needed to help with a rescue.

On the land the esplanade strip was buzzing. So nice to see so many enjoying the restaurants and cafés and the beauty of our little beach. The event has created a really healthy and vibrant buzz for our community and I reckon that's worth celebrating. Unfortunately, I had to hop on a plane and head north before the finals had been run and won on Monday. So I have my suspicions who were the form surfers, but finals being finals, I'm prepared to expect anything.

See you at the beach ... Derek

PS Wild Dunedin starts on Friday and I'll be there at the opening. Make sure to book your tickets now – it's free or just a small koha. I'll be presenting at the 7x7 Wild Dunedin New Zealand Festival of Nature opening night on Friday April 22 (here) and then again on Wednesday April 27 with my Living with Lions presentation about surfing and co-existing with sea lions along our coast. So many awesome events being staged. All details in the links. See you there.