For immediate release
3rd February 2023 
From: Surfing New Zealand
Sport: Domestic Surfing
Event: 2023 Waveform Surfing NZ Open
Divisions: Open Men’s and Women’s Divisions
Date: 3rd-4th March
Location: Maori Bay, Auckland, New Zealand
Websites and Social: Surfing New Zealand and Waveform
Muriwai Beach added to the NZ Surf Series with the Waveform Surfing NZ Open in March
Auckland’s West Coast will play host to the second straight event on the NZ Surf Series this March with the Waveform Surfing NZ Open added to the summer calendar.
The Waveform Surfing NZ Open will be held at Maukatia / Maori Bay on the 3-4 March and the event is part of a wider festival and activities taking place on Saturday at the seaside village.
The launch party for the Waveform Festival on Saturday afternoon, is the early stages of what is expected to evolve into a popular summer festival of boardsports, music and culture in future years.
As part of the festival, the Surfing NZ Open sees the return of top level domestic surfing after a more than 20 year hiatus at Maori Bay. The event is the second of six events scheduled for the NZ Surf Series in 2023.
Following the success of the National Championships held at Piha in January and the crowning of champions Dune Kennings (Piha) and Pia Rogers (WGM), a full field of Aotearoa’s top surfing talent is expected to participate with entries beginning to flow in since opening earlier in the week.
Local Muriwai surfers will be a feature of the event as they pit themselves against Aotearoa’s best. The Bay’s Mike Phillips was one of the first to put his name forward, the powerful goofy foot surfer widely regarded as one of the best Muriwai talents. Phillips will use his local knowledge to challenge Aotearoa’s top talent. Phillips will be joined by another local and previous NZ Surf Series event winner Paul Moretti, a standout at any domestic event around our coastline.
On top of the newly crowned national champions, a number of our top young surfers will make a strong showing as they push the established seeds with own flavour of surfing.
Just under an hour west of Auckland CBD Maukatia-Maori Bay is an iconic beach break situated to the south of Muriwai Beach. With heavy peaks up and down the beach, Māori Bay is a powerful and at times hollow wave.
More about the Waveform Festival
This event is a new festival concept for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, encompassing Music & Moana. A new national surf competition for the Muriwai Beach area, it is a first of this size and profile for the stunning West Coast location.
Waveform festival combines music, art, food and beverage with bicultural flavors. At the heart of the festival is a music program of multi genres that fits the beach goer boardrider culture as well as summer music lovers. There are two days of free to public viewing of the surf event and additionally, a paid for Launch Party (only $45) full experience of music, food & beverage.
The Waveform Launch Party starts on Saturday March 4th from 2pm-11pm at the Muriwai Surf Club – 100 Jack Butt Lane, parking is free. Look out for the signage as you arrive. More details here https://www.thesurfclubatmuriwai.org/location/
Waveform Launch Party tickets can be purchased at https://www.ticketfairy.com/event/waveform-festival-4mar2023
The Launch Party event is strictly R18+.
More about the Surfing NZ Open and NZ Surf Series
The Waveform Surfing NZ Open is an SNZ2000 event and part of the wider New Zealand Surf Series which includes the following events:
8-14 Jan – National Surfing Championships, Piha (SNZ3000)
3-4 March – Waveform Surfing NZ Open, Maukatia / Maori Bay (SNZ2000)
4-5 March – Seventhwave Women’s Canterbury Championships, Christchurch (SNZ1000)
18-19 March – Rip Curl Pro Raglan, Manu Bay, Raglan (SNZ3000)
7-10 April – Emerson’s South Island Championship, Dunedin (SNZ1000)
22-24 April – Exit Surf Men’s Canterbury Championships, Christchurch (SNZ2000
28-30 April – Backdoor King and Queen, Raglan (SNZ3000)
You can register to participate in the Waveform Surfing NZ Open here https://liveheats.com/events/92876/registration
The Waveform Festival would not be possible without the support of Auckland Unlimited, Surfing New Zealand, Volkswagen, Maori Bay Boardriders Club, Rollercoaster, Byron Bay Brewery, BFM and Scapegrace.
Further Information
For further information on the 2023 Waveform Surfing NZ Open 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 will be available to media free of charge.
Event details
Please visit Liveheats.com for live scores https://liveheats.com/events/44498
Follow the event
Follow the action via social media @surfingnz across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
Surfing New Zealand is proudly partnered by:
Sport NZ
Skinnies
Volkswagen
Surfline
Arepa
Ends
