January 21st 2025: Alexis: National Champ

Our very own Alexis Owen is crowned national champion at the iconic Stent Road. It’s the first time a South Coast Boardriders' surfer has ever won the Open Men’s title. Even with greats like Graham Carse, his son Danny Carse and Felix Dickson in the mix we’ve never managed to secure the coveted gong. Until now. 
 
There are a lot of firsts that went down at the 2025 National Surfing Championships held in Taranaki this past week. With Ava Henderson winning the Open Women’s division that also meant it was the first time two South Island surfers had taken the top spots. 
 
Ava wasn’t shy in letting everyone know that fact as she bathed in glory on the podium after her decisive win. To claim his title Alexis beat Olympian Billy Stairmand, who had been the star performer all week, and local defending champion Daniel Farr who can throw out an air rev on demand. But after 25-minutes of light cross shore Stent Road it was 16-year-old Alexis who had impressed the judges the most at the righthander. The large South Coast contingent erupted in cheers, his family swarmed the young surfer, his sister Zara, who had earlier won the Under 14 title, wrapped her arms around him and tears flowed. It was an historic moment. 
 
Once again Taranaki had turned it on for the event with hot, sunny days, a small but surfable swell and the friendly charm of those living along its surf coast. Around the edges of the comp some incredible free surf sessions went down. The whole week was punctuated by a party at New Plymouth Surfriders clubrooms overlooking Fitzroy Beach with DJ Mini Hutch – himself one of New Zealand’s best surfers – spinning the decks to close out a huge week. 
 
Thank you to all the locals of Taranaki who generously allowed us all to surf their waves for the week ... arohanui.
 
See you at the beach ... Derek
 
PS For full coverage of the 2025 Nats check into New Zealand Surf Journal over the coming week. We’re on the road but stories are slowly coming up.