The Northern Express Herald

Gisborne surfers among medals at NZ scholastic champs

Murray Robertson
William Matthews goes off the lip in style on his way to a fourth-place medal at the New Zealand Scholastics Surfing Championships in Dunedin in the Under-18 boys' division.
William Matthews goes off the lip in style on his way to a fourth-place medal at the New Zealand Scholastics Surfing Championships in Dunedin in the Under-18 boys' division.

Three Gisborne teenagers returned home from the New Zealand Scholastic Surfing Championships last week in Dunedin with medals in their age divisions.

Charlotte McDiarmid (Under-14 girls), William Matthews (U18 boys) and Te Waiotu Fairlie (U18 girls) picked up fourth-placed medals after making their respective finals.


William Matthews performed well in the highly competitive boys U18 boys' division.
William Matthews performed well in the highly competitive boys U18 boys' division.

“Stunning weather for the championships helped produce some great results for our Tairāwhiti team,” said surfing spokeswoman and former New Zealand open women’s champion Holly Quinn.


Charlotte McDiarmid surfed well throughout the week to come home with a medal for fourth in the final of the U14 girls' division.
Charlotte McDiarmid surfed well throughout the week to come home with a medal for fourth in the final of the U14 girls' division.

In other results for the 12-strong Gisborne team, Oska Gunness made the top 20 in the U14 boys’ age group.

In the U16 girls’, Bonnie Lynch and Lucy McDiarmid were seventh-equal.

Jett Dalton and Ollie Tong were 19th-equal in the U16 boys while Max Gaddum was 22nd.

In the U18 boys’, Max Phillips placed ninth and Flynn McGregor and Austin Fergus 17th-equal.

Gisborne were seventh in the team standings topped by Auckland.

“Te Waiotu now heads off to the Aotearoa Maori surf titles as possibly a hot favourite to take out the Under-18 title,” Quinn said.


Te Waiotu Fairlie has turned her attention to the Aotearoa Māori championships later this month, where she will be a strong contender in her age division.
Te Waiotu Fairlie has turned her attention to the Aotearoa Māori championships later this month, where she will be a strong contender in her age division.

That event is being held at the end of the month at Ahipara in Northland.

Te Waiotu Fairlie was all smiles after placing fourth in the U18 girls' division at the National Scholastic Surfing Champs.
Te Waiotu Fairlie was all smiles after placing fourth in the U18 girls' division at the National Scholastic Surfing Champs.

“It is expected that a strong contingent of local surfers will compete,” Quinn said.

“The next local event in Gisborne, staged by Kegged, is the Froth Fest, an ongoing fundraiser for the scholastics kids’ fund.”