Action is kicking this morning with the semifinals of the New Zealand Festival of Longboarding at Pāpāmoa. Finals will be held from 11am – 2pm. 

Against a stunning Pāpāmoa summer’s day on Saturday, the final six surfers were determined across both the Men’s and Women’s Longboard Divisions as New Zealand’s best vie for event titles and selection into the New Zealand Longboard Team.

The New Zealand Festival of Longboarding kicked off in clean 1.0m waves at the Pāpāmoa Domain with surfers from around the country converging on the Bay of Plenty seaside settlement. 

Light sea breeze winds came through in the afternoon to keep participants in the senior divisions honest.

Early match ups saw Auckland’s Nat Fitt dominate proceedings and advance through to the semifinals. Natt posted a 15.07 point heat total in the Quarterfinals courtesy of an 8.6 point ride for a long, clean hang ten across the Pāpāmoa line up.

Natt comes up against Matt Newdick from Auckland and Dan Croskery from Gisborne in the Semifinals today. Matt recently won the Logger Heads event at Waipu Cove and on Saturday he got the edge in the closest of heats to advance to the semifinals alongside local surfer Dan Hooker.

Dan will be the senior statesman of the heat and on Saturday afternoon showed his class in the Morris Over 40s Division with a 17.0 point heat total and subsequently moved through to the final of that division.

Number one seed Charlie Wise from Christchurch lived up to his favourites tag and will be in action early on Sunday morning where he will face Thomas Kibblewhite from Whangarei and Dan Hooker.

Californian Megan Burns fired up the Women’s Longboard Division winning through to the semifinals with an 11.33 point heat total. Megan was joined by Gisborne’s Hannah Kohn who made a comeback to the national scene and comfortably advanced through her first-round heat. 

Hannah, along with fellow Tairawhiti surfer Te Waiotu Farlie, eliminated National Champion Luch Macefield from Christchurch. Luch turned her fortunes around in the Neufound Eyewear Under 18 Girls Division with a second place progression alongside Izaro Williamson – Sasia from Taranaki.

On Saturday afternoon, the Morris Surfboards Over 40s and Pineline Surf Fins 50s Divisions rounded out the day. 

Thomas and Dan Croskery continued their form from the premier division advancing to the final where they will face off against local surfer Simon Fritchley and Phil Morris from Whangarei.

In the Over 50s Division, first round heat wins went to Mark O’Connor (WGM), Grant Cochrane (Chch) and Rhys Fitt (Auck).

The Volkswagen Highest Single Wave Score Award went to Natt Fitt for his 8.6 point ride.

Action will kick off at 8am today with the semifinals of the Women’s followed by the Men’s. Finals will be held from 11am – 2pm. 

Sunday match ups, schedule and full results from day one of the New Zealand Festival of Longboarding can be viewed here as well as live scores –  https://liveheats.com/events/194186

Generous support from Morris Surfboards, Switch Stance Surf & Skate, Pineline Fins, Tasman Holiday Parks, Alt Surf Works, C-Skins, Neufound Eyewear, Defy Clothing and Emroce Swimwear, Four Winds Trust and Papamoa Boardriders have made this event possible.

Follow the action via all social media platforms – @surfingnz across Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.