Locals shine at primary school champs

Magic conditions were on offer for the 2017 Northland Primary School Surfing Champs held at Mangawhai Heads on April 1.

A clean 0.5-1.0m swell with light winds provided the perfect platform for Northland's top young surfers to show their skills.

Due to the wide age range for competition and skill level, organisers decided to run an Assisted Division, where surfers are assisted into catching waves by their parents. Most of these surfers ranged in age from 5-8 years old.

Those who chose to catch their own waves were divided up into Boys (Years 1-6) , Boys (Year 7/8) and Girls (Years 1-8).

This year’s event saw over 35 entries from across the north, including Mimiwhangata, Baylys Beach, Sandy Bay, Waipu Cove and Mangawhai Heads.

The waves were pumping all day, and surfers enjoyed perfect conditions.

A huge thanks to Tony Baker and Jason Ruddell from the Northland Surfing Association for organising the event along with Daniel and Emma Harrington from Learn 2 Surf Waipu Cove and Mark and Gill Vercoe.

Also a massive thanks to David Glover from Bammas Surf Shop in Mangawhai, Mark from Fresh Mangawhai and the Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service Inc. for their club space to run the event.

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ON IT: Mangawhai Beach School’s Trinity Smith takes out the overall girls title. PHOTO/Jason Ruddell