The 2022 Gathering of Stoke took place over the weekend (Saturday) in clean conditions at Pipe, Midway Beach, Gisborne.
It was a nail biting final in the Open Men’s with the difference between first and second being a heel 10 walk-back by Dylan Barnfield (Ohope). It was a true pleasure to watch the top longboarders in go at it in clean 2-3ft waves with offshores all day.
Hannah Kohn went back-to-back at the Gathering of Stoke 2022, winning the Open Women’s. It was epic seeing the style and grace displayed by all women across the Amateurs, Over 60s, Juniors and Open Women finals.
Kawai took out the Amateurs in the dying seconds of the final. Jay Ryan won the Juniors and gave everything she had to give Hannah Kohn a good challenge in the Women’s final. Marguerite Vujcich won the Over 60s Women.
It was a true pleasure to watch the legends of our sport in the senior men’s divisions. This year’s Gathering of Stoke featured Over 50s, 60s and 70s divisions. A true masterclass by local Scott Pitkethley saw him win the Over 50s final. He was surfing supremely all day and he just missed out on the Open final.
The Amateur Division was highly contested and some epic surfing was going down. 10 Men and 3 Women got involved and surfed their first, or one of their first comps.
Winner of the Custom Log by Morris Surfboards was Mike Yukich.
Men’s Longboard Final
Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), 15.8, 1, Daniel Procter (Gis), 15.3, 2, Jordan Griffin (Mnt), 13.3, 3, Dan Croskery (Gis), 11.6, 4
Women’s Longboard Final
Hannah Kohn (Gis), 10.83, 1, Jay Ryan- Emere (Gis), 9.58, 2, Ali Angeloni (Gis), 6.68, 3, Moss Patea- Taylor (Gis), 6, 4
Under 18 Boys Longboard Final
Geordie Sawyer (Gis), 15.4, 1, Hawke Edwards (Whngrei), 8.5, 2, Taha McLean (Gis), 5.87, 3, Solomon Ryan (Auck), 4.13, 4
Under 18 Girls Longboard Final
Jay Ryan (Gis), 13.3, 1, Moss Patea- Taylor (Gis), 9.5, 2
Amateur Men’s Final
Cruz Thompson (Gis), 8.93, 1, Chris Ryan (Auck), 7.87, 2, Rongomai Smith (Gis), 7.1, 3, Phil Watson (Gis), 5.67, 4
Amateur Women’s Final
Kawai Winiata (Gis), 10.1, 1, Simi Bub (Gis), 9.17, 2, Megan Costello (Gis), 4.59, 3
Over 50 Men’s Longboard
Scott Pitkethley (Gis), 14.1, 1, James Atutahi (Mnt), 9.43, 2, Josh Burt (Gis), 9.04, 3, Paul Forrester (Gis), 5.46, 4, Chris Ryan (Piha, 3.16, 5
Over 60s Longboard
Ben Hutchings (Gis), 10.5, 1, Mike Yukich (Gis), 10, 2, Graham Breckell (Gis), 9, 3, Kieran Grealish (Gis), 7.17, 4, Marguerite Vujcich (Hbay), 3.5, 5