waihibeachsup forum posts in last 60 days

This past week my favourite part of Waihi Beach has finally got its perfectly shaped sand banks back.
Beach Access 15 has been absolutely smoking
With nice 2ft @12seconds with all day offshores and 2m high tides around the late morning making for 3 sessions a day picking the tides on the mid incoming, mid outgoing and mid incoming evening.
And scoring 15knots for wingfoiling on the high tides and an epic sup foil surf session with my new 1250 fireball front wing! Game changer.
Beach Access 15 has this path that highly resembles a few beach access paths on the north shore of Oahu particularly the one that runs next to JOBs house at pipeline and back door + this cool little one at V Land.
we have had these two consecutive massive tropical lows push past the NE coast super quick both going along the same path sending out that long period NZ lines.
Ive been a full forecast nerd watching every little movement and well it's paid off.
I love sup longboarding, but this past week Ive never felt it like I have before, the froth meter was through the roof, experimenting was in full swing with cross stepping with style from the nose back into a swooping inside paddle drop knee turns was the main focus + just stylish gliding take offs, cross stepping in a more slower and mindful mannerism of where my feet are going and style.
unfortunately I never have anyone to film so I use visualisation as really important tool prior to every wave and after every wave. As I see the wave coming and I'm getting into position I'm already planning what I want to achieve on every wave.
going back to the feeling. Like I said I've never felt sup longboarding like I have this week.
im riding a NSP sleepwalker 10x24@93.7L designed by Tully St John that I bought for $1000
the magic board indeed.
the best thing about this week that I had this epic bank all to myself every session, no one out, couldn't even see another surfer anywhere.
March, April & May are the best times for my coastline in NZ, let's hope the next three months deliver like last year and there are more epic sup longboard sessions to be had. Dam I'd love to drop an edit though.

That coast is killer for downwinders
there's a bit of a crew there so might be able to pile on missions up the coast and safety

After last years super fun we are back for 2026
Entries open soon. More info to drop.
limited spots this year so we can run the round robin concept. A few changes to how we are running heats.
15 minute heats x 3 rounds x 3 wave score.
highest score after 3 rounds takes the title.

Elite or opens divisions will have prize money $$$

I'll stay in New Zealand
Crowds = no fun.

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kato said..
I have an issue of having to join SupVic and Surfing Aus to complete at the titles when Surfing Aus does zero for SUP during the year. SUP Vic yes heaps but no surf comps any more. Even our local surf club excludes SUP participants from entering but they want our cash for Nationals. Sorry..

Yep! Surfing Australia couldn't care less.

Surfing Australia does it again.
late November?
how does Surfing Australia expect anyone to represent Australia at the ISA Sup games?
last year both representatives didn't actually qualify via the national titles.
No wonder there is no youth participation.
I tell you what Surfing New Zealand are way ahead of the game with supporting SUP.
such a shame for the sport.
oh well. Keep up the good work to the crew delivering awesome local events.

Calling the NZ and international SUP surfing community! We are back for the second year.
Weekend 2 of SUP week goes out with a bang ??
Sup Shortboard/longboarding/foil surfing event.
Waihi Beach, Western Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand.
Mens & Womens divisions
Opens + Weekend Warriors + Grand Masters
(all divisions pending on numbers, so we are flexible)
3 wave scoring x 15 minute heats.
3 or 4 person heats again pending on numbers)
Each participant will surf 2 or 3 rounds in each division pending on conditions.
good conditions with all day offshores that this coast is know for we go 3 rounds per division.

Leave comments below if you are interested or have any logistical questions.
last year was super fun!!!

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colas said..

ockanui said..
Interesting comments for those that have been in the sport for a long time

I don't think the comments were against the 9' limit.They were about the judgment criteria.

From what I understand, you could enter a 9'+ comp with a 10' (or a 11', 12') and still be competitive if the rules rewarded styling and flow more than aggressiveness.

In truth, you all seem to agree.

Absolutely spot on.

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colas said..

ockanui said..
Interesting comments for those that have been in the sport for a long time

I don't think the comments were against the 9' limit.They were about the judgment criteria.

From what I understand, you could enter a 9'+ comp with a 10' (or a 11', 12') and still be competitive if the rules rewarded styling and flow more than aggressiveness.

In truth, you all seem to agree.

Absolutely spot on.

Chur

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ockanui said..
Interesting comments for those that have been in the sport for a long time, comps would have died out years ago had another sup category not been pushed for. Ten ft was a chosen length at the time. Sorry for all those who are critical of the 9fters, truth be known running an event in Bali after COVID I couldn't get my 10 fter to Bali for the event out of melb so I went **** it I'll make it a 9fter comp so I could get my sup to the comp that i ran.. sorry for the ****en self interest but also part of that ****en logic, was then that allows the 10 fters to become a traditional category that some other dick head can spend years of their life lobbying surfing Australia to to adopt that category, it's common ****en sense but some other person can do that. The 9ft category has breathed new life into sup that has doubled entries and provided another part of the future for sup. That is what's important for the sport and that the roots, soul and community is built around that provides longevity to the sport that now is 20 years old. People are critical about the old ****ers still having their input but until that next generation step up be grateful for what has been achieved.

Let's put it straight as we shoot the Seabreeze MJ
im grateful for you, you have pushed the envelope and moved the needle for the greater good.
im not at all against the older crew at all i just sit with a different and younger perspective.
im hungry still after 17 years and im only 42.
sit with my perspective for a moment.

i was watching Marty coles clip that casso shot the other day, 10ft sup longboarding by one of the best, glimpses of traditional style but more explosive, comp style good luck beating that. now I compare that to my style more old skool tradition style . What's a better approach?
in a comp scenario what would score better if it's a longboarding division?
sub divisions? In a all out sup longboard event?
what's the APP take in that?

10ft allows that open expression of sup longboarding whilst I feel the 9ft only caters to a back footed style of longboarding, unless you are Zane or Benoit and the likes.

Sunova has already got it right with their two piece boards. easy to assemble and travel with.maybe 2 piece board design is the future of sup or more particular sup longboarding and then the 10ft division remains the pinnacle of longboarding sup style?
I own 3x 10ft sup longboards
i never go sup longboarding on my 9ft. I use it as a step up. Riding twin fins of course.

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FRP said..
Very cool!

Great photos! Well done and looking forward to the videos.

Perhaps one day there will be a "Grand Masters" division (over 70)!!

Cheers

Bob

Surfing NZ only do open divisions at the nationals.
im hosting a SUP competition at Waihi Beach, North Island New Zealand - March 28-29 2026
shoukd come along
had a over 70s last year.
sup shortboard & sup longboard divisions

Well the NZ surf titles are still unraveling across on the East Coast of NZ's north island at Gisborne, with day 3 seeing all of the Stand Up Paddle action take place.
conditions were testing with 20knots cross shore winds and a 1m south swell making it contestable but tricky.
As an Australian now a permanent New Zealand resident I could enter the titles and the level was definitely of a high standard.
it was cool to see the women's division go down with all 3 of the girls under 23 years old I believe, showcasing some nice skills. 1. Stella smith
2. Billie Scott
3. Amelia WinkThe men's division was 2x semi finals then the final.
age groups between 35 & late 40's.
all rippers and was happy to make the final.

1.Karlos Aarsen
2. Regan Fairlie
3. Michael Williams
4. Curtis Nu'u

stoked to come away with a 3rd for my first nationals a little disappointed I just couldn't find that magical wave in both of my heats to ramp up my score.
rode my 9'0 with a twin fin set up to maximise stability but still have speed and some looseness.
Stoked to win the bodyboarding title that was a fun heat.

Definitely the best surf titles I've ever been apart of.
really felt SUP was celebrated by the overall surf community and crew were proud of our efforts in really hard conditions! Yeah NZ!

Thanks mate

What a great concept.

It only came to my attention that the APP world tour has now an official masters division (40+)
It's great to see this and I feel is something that is the right way forward for the sport.
i feel my main frustration with Sup is there are no opportunities for crew in their 30's & 40's who ride at an elite level and who have put probably 10 to 15 years + into the sport.
no sponsorship opportunities, no media, no $$$ to be made at any level to pursue world tour events or even to put back into the sport to push it further.
Leave a comment if you aged in between 40-50 ??????

Seems like the comp scene has changed once again in SUP. This time it's no longer the 12'6 switcharoo but the 9ft+ sup longboarding.
i feel like the 9ft + division is the kind of weird.
i get it for travelling purposes but for a longboarding division in SUP it's always going to be 10ft to me.

I don't see the point of having a SUP longboarding division if it's a 50/50 based score on a 9ft board when 80% of the surfing done will be predominantly on the back of the board and 20 % (if lucky) at the front.
It's basically just another sup shortboard style of surfing category. if the boards are 9ft now then the scoring or criteria should be based more on a traditional style of longboarding, if you want a longboarding division in SUP keep it about longboarding.
considering the demographic of most sup surfers 50 - 70 most can't noseride on a 9'0, it's actually super hard in general then add style.

Who made these forever changing scenarios anyway?
Can a proper plan be made for the future of SUP longboarding in a competitive aspect?
If performance longboarding is a division based on a 50/50 scenario the why isn't their a division for traditional longboarding styles for SUP that actually reflects longboarding and not what certain people deem it to be.

The WSL longboarding competition at bells everyone should study.
paddle or not, that's longboarding.
and that's how it's scored in competitions in 2025.