For immediate release
17th January 2025
From: Surfing New Zealand
Sport: Domestic Surfing
Event: 2025 New Zealand Surfing National Champs
Divisions: Open Men’s and Women’s, Juniors, Longboards, SUPS, Kneeboard, Bodyboard, Adaptive
Date: 12th – 18 January
Location: Back Beach, Taranaki, New Zealand
Websites and Social: Surfing New Zealand #2025Nats
Stage Set to Crown 64th National Surfing Champions
The preliminary rounds of the 2025 National Surfing Championships have been completed to set the stage to crown the 64th New Zealand Champions tomorrow (Saturday 18th January).
After a day of testing conditions at Taranaki’s Stent Road, 32 surfers remain in the Open Men’s Division and only 16 in the Open Women’s Division.
Day six of the event was played out in sleepy 1.0m waves at the famous righthand point break, which sometimes resembled a perfect line up and other times like a mill pond as the long period swell pulsed in intermittently throughout the day.
Defending men’s champion Daniel Farr (Tara) made easy work of his opening match up to advance while defending women’s champion Maya Mateja (Rag) fell to local legend Paige Hareb who advanced through to the final 16 surfers alongside Stella Green.
Two previous champions will join Farr on the final day with eight-time champion Billy Stairmand in action along with 2023 champion Dune Kennings (Piha).
In the women’s, there will be five ex champions in action on the final day including Paige Hareb (2022), Thandi Tipene (2012), Aimee Brown (2019), Ava Henderson (2020) and Pia Rogers (2023).
Day six standouts included Spencer Rowson (Tara), Rico Haybittle (Aus) and Will Hardie who all won their heats with solid totals. In the Women’s Division it was Pia Rogers (WGM) that top scored for the round with 16.90 out of 20 to lead the way and fellow club member Lola Groube also looking strong with a 15.77 point heat total. 2019 champion Aimee Brown (Great Barrier) rounded out the day with a heat win posting a 14.17 point heat total.
The swell is expected to remain the same for the final day with a 1.om swell forecasted with light winds leading into afternoon sea breezes. Confirmation of the finals-day location will be made first thing in the morning once dawn breaks and the conditions can be assessed.
The finals are expected to wrap up by 4pm on Saturday with the prizegiving immediately after the finals at the beach. New Plymouth Surfriders will host all participants at the finals night function with Hutch playing tunes for all.
The sixty second edition of the New Zealand National Surfing Championships has attracted a 400 plus field of participants for the mobile event along the Taranaki coastline.
It is the tenth time the event has been held in Taranaki the most recent being in 2019.
A total of 29 divisions are contested at the event including the premier Open Men and Women which commence on Thursday. Additional divisions include age groups from Under 14 boys and girls through to Over 70s for males and females and Longboard, Stand Up Paddleboard, Bodyboard, Kneeboard and adaptive disciplines.
Action takes place from 8am – 5pm daily. The daily schedule is posted the night prior on www.liveheats.com/surfingnz. The daily location will be confirmed once conditions are assessed at dawn each morning.
The event would not be possible without the support of the Toi Foundation. The 2025 National Surfing Championships is proudly hosted by New Plymouth Surfriders.
The 2025 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 2025 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 #Nats2025 to follow the story.
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Author: Ben Kennings