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A chance to see and try for themselves
22nd February 2020 The Gisborne Herald
Photo: CATCHING WAVES: Young surfers (from left) Jay Emeree-Ryan, Maia Ferguson, Billie Kahn and Tui Ruifrok at the Tairawhiti Junior Surf Champs in Gisborne.
FIFTY-SEVEN children gathered at Gisborne's Midway Beach to compete in a junior surfing competition or to give the sport a go.
The OPSM Tairawhiti Junior Surf Champs were run by Gisborne Boardriders Club at Midway's Pipe break yesterday on a warm summer's day.
Organiser Flo Bub said the event was for children aged seven to 14 and it was a good chance for families to see what surfing was about and for kids to give it a try.
They had a “push-in” category, where adults were on hand to give the youngsters a helpful push.
But at least two of the children considered themselves veterans in the sport.
Gisborne Intermediate pupils Bonnie Lynch and Kya Solomon, both aged 11, said they had been surfing for years.
Kya, who came second in the Year 7-8 girls, said she liked getting out into the ocean and Bonnie said the sport was convenient.
They both felt they had done pretty well yesterday.
Gisborne-Mahia professional surfer Ricardo Christie said it was an awesome day for the youngsters and conditions were perfect for them.
“The whole junior surf community came together to have a fun day.”
Girls' push-in: Josephine Lambert 1, Taylor Newman 2, Tessa Pereira 3.
Boys' push-in: Flynn Dalton 1, Rusty Lambert 2, Felix Tong 3.
Year 9-10 girls: Maia Ferguson 1, Jay Emerre-Ryan 2, Tui Ruifrok 3.
Year 7-8 girls: Hine Brooking 1, Kya Solomon 2, Milly Jones 3.
Year 9-10 boys: Eli Livingston 1, Sol O'Connor 2, Max Phillips 3.
Year 7-8 boys: Shae Ferguson 1, Ollie Tong 2, Jett Dalton 3.
Year 6 and under: Milo Livingston 1, Archie Alder 2, Harry McFarlane 3.
