January 6th 2026: Build-up to Nats

The 2026 New Zealand Surfing Championships take place next week in Gisborne. This is the premier surfing event in New Zealand, with the highest ranking as a 5000-star event. It hasn't been held in Gisborne for a very long time. Luckily, there is a south swell due and quite possibly another swell to come off the back of the big high that's on its way over. 

When Gizzy gets swell, there are few places on earth that can rival it. There are waves from the East Cape right throughout Gisborne and into Mahia. Many of them are world-class waves on their day. It's no surprise that this stretch of coastline was twice the hotbed of New Zealand surfing. Firstly, when shapers from Australia set up shop here alongside the first free-loving surfers of the '60s, and then when their offspring – some of New Zealand's first second-generation surfers – started to win every contest around. The Maz Quinn, Brent Rasby, Damon Gunness, Blair Stewart, and more, era of the late 1990s was incredible. 

These days, the concentration of quality surfers is a lot less region-specific. Every surf town has a handful of surfers who could find their rhythm to take the top gong. For Keo and his mates here in Dunedin, the build-up has been interesting with a run of terrible swell and winds that could be just the perfect preparation. Sometimes, great waves do little to help a competitive surfer to get ready. 

They're terrible to photograph those lazy onshore days, so I shot the one good day this week to bring you this week's report. Next stop: Tairāwhiti. 

See you at the beach, Derek

PS I'm on the road for the next three weeks, but you can still purchase any of our books or prints from www.boxoflight.com – here are some of our favourites that are ready to hang straight from our actual gallery at 8 Castle Street, Dunedin. Yeah, 2026, let's do this ...