The
premier
men’s
and
women’s
division
made
their
first
appearance
at
the
National
Championships
presented
by
Trust
Tairawhiti
in
Gisborne
today
(Wednesday
14th
January).
While
conditions
were
clean
all
day,
the
surf
was
only
just
contestable
at
Makorori
Beach,
however
that
did
not
deter
New
Zealand’s
best
surfers
as
they
navigated
the
early
rounds
of
the
event.
The
girls
enjoyed
the
early
morning
conditions
and
it
was
2024
champion
Maya
Mateja
of
Raglan
that
looked
extremely
sharp
on
her
forehand.
The
17
year
old
spent
much
of
2025
based
in
Mexico
and
return
two
weeks
ago
to
spend
the
summer
in
New
Zealand.
Mateja
posted
a
13.57
point
heat
total
to
advance
through
her
round
in
the
hunt
for
a
second
title.
Auckland
surfer
Liv
Haysom
at
22
years
of
age
is
the
oldest
of
the
surfers
to
advance
to
the
final
12
surfers
today.
The
natural
foot
surfer
posted
the
highest
heat
score
of
14.84
points
in
the
round
to
advance.
New
Zealand
Junior
Surfing
Team
members
Leia
Millar
(Piha),
Lola
Groube
(Pau)
and
Poppy
Arkle
(Piha)
all
advanced
through
to
the
next
round
as
they
hunt
maiden
titles.
“It
would
be
really
nice
to
have
a
national
title
in
the
Open
Women’s,
I’m
feeling
good
and
I
want
to
keep
the
momentum
going
from
the
Worlds,”
said
Millar
who
finished
seventh
at
the
2025
edition
held
in
December
last
year.
Millar
has
moved
out
of
the
age
group
divisions
for
the
first
time
and
has
her
first
international
events
of
the
year
lined
up
in
both
Australia
and
Indonesia.
In
the
early
rounds
of
the
Open
Men’s
Division,
it
was
defending
champion
Alexis
Owen
that
set
the
pace
from
the
first
heat
with
a
15.60.
“It
is
warm
up
here,
unlike
home
so
it
is
easy
to
surf
and
the
waves
are
fun
and
it
looks
like
it
could
get
better,
so
you
can’t
ask
for
too
much
more,”
said
the
Dunedin
surfer.
“It
is
always
good
to
come
against
surfing
legends
so
we
will
see
how
I
progress
through
the
draw
and
if
I
get
the
chance
to
surf
against
them,
that
would
be
pretty
cool,”
added
Owen
on
the
prospect
of
surfing
against
the
likes
of
Maz
Quinn
and
Matt
Scorringe
who
won
senior
age
group
divisions
last
year
along
with
a
number
of
returning
surfers
that
amass
21
combined
titles.
A
surfer
that
holds
eight
titles
alone
is
Billy
Stairmand
(Rag)
and
at
the
halfway
mark
of
the
first
round,
Stairmand
had
already
notched
up
the
top
score
of
the
day
–
16.20
out
of
a
possible
20.
Today’s
conditions
will
be
a
stark
contrast
to
the
waves
he
will
encounter
in
a
week’s
time
when
he
returns
to
Hawaii
to
contest
the
WSL
Challenger
series
at
the
famous
Pipeline
break.
A
number
of
young
surfers
took
their
chances
in
the
small
waves
today.
They
included
Indica
Corcoran,
Vitor
Bauermann,
Jaxon
Pardoe,
Haru
Marsden,
Zeke
Pragert
and
Tyler
Stenzel
who
all
advanced
to
the
second
round.
The
surf
is
expected
to
remain
small
on
day
5
(Thursday
15th
January)
with
light
winds
forecasted.
Day
5
will
comprise
the
premier
Open
Men’s
Division
in
the
afternoon
but
the
day
will
kick
off
with
the
Under
16
Boys
Division
and
Under
14
Boys
and
Girls
Semifinals.
Just
under
400
entries
across
28
divisions
have
been
confirmed.
The
event
features
competition
across
shortboard,
longboard,
stand
up
paddleboard
(SUP),
Kneeboard
bodyboard
and
adaptive
disciplines,
with
divisions
spanning
from
Under
14s
through
to
Over
70s.
Special
awards
at
the
event
include
the
title
of
the
top
boardrider
club
in
the
nation
as
well
as
the
Peter
Byers
Trophy
awarded
to
the
surfer
with
the
most
outstanding
performance
across
the
week.
The
event
marks
the
first
of
eight
national
events
around
the
New
Zealand
coastline
as
part
of
the
Epic
Break
summer
campaign
showcasing
surfing
talent
and
celebrating
the
surfing
community
between
January
and
April.
The
2026
event
is
hosted
by
Gisborne
Boardriders
Club
alongside
Trust
Tairawhiti.
They
are
joined
by
event
partners
Neighbourhood
Cantina,
Chris
Fougere
Orthopaedics,
Kiwi
Holiday
Insurance,
ACC
and
Sun
Bum.
Competition
runs
daily
from
8.00am
to
5.00pm,
with
the
Open
Men’s
and
Women’s
finals
expected
to
take
place
on
Saturday
17th
January.
Surfing
Timetable
Day
5
–
Open
Men
and
Women,
Junior
Boys
and
Girls
Day
6
–
Open
Men
and
Women,
Junior
Boys
and
Girls,
Kneeboard
Day
7
–
Open
Men
and
Women,
Junior
Boys
and
Girls,
Adaptive
Social
Calendar
Thurs
15th
Jan,
Nias
Surf
Movie
Night,
The
Dome
/
Neighbourhood
Cantina
Night
Fri
16th
Jan,
Coast
Kids
Surf
Day
/
Ambrose
Golf
Team
Tournament
(3pm)
Sat,
17th
Jan,
After
Party,
Smash
Palace
–
Hitman
Johnny
Gibbs,
Flaxxies
and
The
Butlers
(7pm)
The
2026
National
Surfing
Championships
commences
both
the
domestic
NZ
Surf
Series,
NZ
Grom
Series
and
NZ
Longboard
Series
with
events
scheduled
around
the
country
this
summer.
Further
Information
For
further
information
on
the
2026
National
Surfing
Championships
please
contact
Surfing
New
Zealand’s
Ben
Kennings
on
021
2278732
or
email
benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Imagery
High
resolution
action
images
of
the
surfing
will
be
available
to
media
free
of
charge
upon
request.
Social
Media
Keep
up
with
all
the
action
by
following
@surfingnz
on
Facebook,
Instagram
and
Twitter.
Use
the
hashtag
#Nats2026
and
#EpicBreak
to
follow
the
story.
Surfing
New
Zealand
is
proudly
partnered
by:
Sport
NZ
ACC
Sun
Bum
Kiwi
Holiday
Insurance
Ends
Go to Surfing New Zealand
Author: Ben Kennings