For immediate release
09/03/2023
From: Surfing New Zealand
Sport: Surfing
Event: 2023 Hurley New Zealand Boardrider Club Championships pres by Volkswagen
Location: Whangamata
Date: 11-12th March
Boardrider Clubs Battle it out this Weekend at Whangamata
New Zealand’s top boardrider clubs will battle it out this weekend (11-12th March) at the Hurley New Zealand Boardrider Club Championships presented by Volkswagen. The winning team gets crowned the country’s top club and wins the chance to represent New Zealand at the Usher Cup World Club Challenge on the Gold Coast of Australia in 2024.
The Hurley New Zealand Boardrider Club Championships presented by Volkswagen takes place at Whangamata Beach on Saturday and Sunday. A stacked field of ten teams have confirmed their attendance at the two-day event with clubs from Northland through to Canterbury scheduled to participate.
Respective clubs face off against each other on an individual basis as well as a tag team format with combined points going to the overall club placings for the event. The event has attracted top surfing talent from around the country as they look to represent their clubs and support their fellow team mates in the unique teams event.
Raglan’s Point Boardriders will be out to defend their title at the event after their much-celebrated win in 2022 which saw them head to the Usher Cup, the first team to ever represent New Zealand at the event. The team comprises Taylor Hutchison and Caleb Cutmore along with Navryn Malone, Brie Bennett and Larry Fisher.
Bay Boardriders will be back with a vengeance after coming runners up in 2022. They return with yet another strong team consisting of junior powerhouse Tao Mouldey, Open Men’s surfers Tim O’Connor and Jack Hinton, Elin Tawharu in the Open Women’s and Over 40s legend Owen Barnes.
Taranaki will be represented by two teams at the event, 2022 runners up, New Plymouth Surfriders who will be another club to watch and the powerful Oakura Boardriders Club who have returned this year with a big team laden with talent as they look to make the podium.
Northland will see North Coast Boardriders attend whilst Lion Rock Boardriders of Piha will be the only Auckland based club making the trip down after Piha and Muriwai were slammed by the cyclone.
North Wai Boardriders of Christchurch are looking to get back to the podium after missing out in 2022.
Hometown hosts Whangamata Boardriders and nearby Waihi Beach Boardriders ensure that the Coromandel will be well represented at the event, Whangamata going for their third consecutive podium finish.
Club teams comprise of five surfers. Two surfers in the Open Men’s Division, one in the Open Women’s Division, one in the Under 18s Division and one Over 40s Division. Participants can be changed out between the standard heats and the tag team event. Oakura Boardriders will be taking advantage of this option interchanging ten surfers during the event.
The tag team format is the essence of the Hurley New Zealand Boardrider Club Championships and involves five surfers in the team going out and catching two waves in succession. A win in the tag team component of the event is worth 50% of the points up for grabs and ultimately decides the champion club.
A full hospitality area will be set up at the beach courtesy of Hurley and Volkswagen where teams and spectators alike can hang out and enjoy the atmosphere. Clubs will bring their own tents, flags and support crew to make a fun two days.
The Usher Cup is a recently-developed club event held at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast of Australia. 2023 marks the first year that the event will be international with six countries attending as well as 23 clubs from Australia. The event takes place in January and accommodates teams of four from each club in a standard surfing format for males and females with $7,000 going to the winners of each division. Other countries attending include France, Indonesia, Japan, Hawaii and USA.
Boardrider Clubs Attending
North Coast Boardriders
Lion Rock Boardriders
Whangamata Boardriders
Waihi Beach Boardriders
Bay Boardriders
Point Boardriders
New Plymouth Boardriders
Oakura Boardriders
North Wai Boardriders
Further Information
For further information on the 2023 Hurley New Zealand Club Championships presented by Volkswagen, please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Imagery
High resolution action images of the surfing at the event will be available to media free of charge.
Event Hotline
Event details can be found on Liveheats.com/Surfing New Zealand. This will be updated daily at approximately 7am with venue, divisions contested and conditions for the day.
Partners
Generous support from Hurley, Volkswagen and Better Beer has made the event possible.
Surfing New Zealand is proudly partnered by:
Sport New Zealand
Volkswagen
Skinnies
Arepa
