Kiwi Boardrider Clubs Face Off to Represent New Zealand On World Stage

New Zealand’s top boardrider clubs will battle it out early this May with the winning team earning the right to represent New Zealand on the world stage come January 2023.

The Hurley New Zealand Boardrider Club Championships takes place at Whangamata on the 7-8 May.  A full field of twelve teams have confirmed their attendance at the two-day event with clubs from Northland through to Canterbury scheduled to participate.

Respective clubs face off against each other on an individual basis as well as a tag team format with combined points going to the overall placings for the event.  The final day of the Hurley New Zealand Club Championships will be streamed live on Sky Sport Next.

The event signals the end of a truncated season and will be the last opportunity for New Zealand’s top surfers to participate domestically before winter sets in.

Piha’s Keyhole Boardriders will be out to defend their title at the event after their much-celebrated win in 2022.  The team will be led by Dune Kennings in the absence of Elliot Paerata – Reid who is currently competing overseas.

“We are coming to Whangamata with one goal in mind and that is to defend our title” Kennings said.  “We know there will be some extra competition this year and that’s great.  We have the nucleus of our team intact from last year and we are looking forward to getting stuck in and representing out club with pride” he added.

New Plymouth Surfriders will be another club to watch after they were the top performers at the National Championships held in January.  Their line up will include National Champion Daniel Farr as well as New Zealand representative Natasha Gouldsbury.

Northland will see two teams attend via North Coast Boardriders and Ocean Beach Boardriders.  The Bay of Plenty has two clubs attending in Bay Boardriders and the newly formed Papamoa Boardriders.  North Wai Boardriders of Christchurch has also confirmed their team will be making the trip north.

The return of the inaugural event winners, Point Boardriders out of Raglan, could see some big names push for the win and a chance to represent New Zealand at the Usher Cup and nab a slice of the $3,000 prize money up for grabs.

Club teams comprise of five surfers.  Two surfers in the Open Men’s Division, one in the Open Women’s Division, one in the Under 18s Division and one Over 40s Division.  Participants can be changed out between the standard heats and the tag team event.

The tag team format is the essence of the Hurley New Zealand Boardrider Club Championships and involves all five surfers in the team going out and catching two waves in succession.  A win in the tag team component of the event is worth 50% of the points up for grabs and ultimately decides the champion club.

A full hospitality area will be set up at the beach courtesy of Hurley and Volkswagen where teams and spectators alike can hang out and enjoy the atmosphere.  Clubs will bring their own tents, flags and support crew to make a fun two days.

The Usher Cup is a recently-developed club event held at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast of Australia.  2023 marks the first year that the event will be international with six countries attending as well as 23 clubs from Australia.  The event takes place on the 19th – 22nd January and accommodates teams of four from each club in a standard surfing format for males and females with $7,000 going to the winners of each division.  Other countries attending include France, Indonesia, Japan, Hawaii and USA.

Boardrider Clubs Attending
North Coast Boardriders – Sandy Bay
Ocean Beach Boardriders – Whangarei
Keyhole Boardriders – Piha
Lion Rock Boardriders – Piha
Point Boardriders – Raglan
Whangamata Boardriders
Waihi Beach Boardriders
Bay Boardriders – Mount Maunganui
Papamoa Boardriders
New Plymouth Surfriders
Hawkes Bay Boardriders
North Wai Boardriders - Christchurch