Juniors revel at Winter Thaw surf comp

• Published date: 29 September 2022

Surf conditions were rated as ideal for most of the day, and spectators were rewarded with some great surfing by the six age group categories of juniors competing

Several of the Canterbury Scholastics Team used the event as a training competition to prepare for competing in Taranaki later during the coming school holidays along with national U18 National Champion and local Waikuku surfer Rakiatea Tau and 2022 U16, Open Men’s Longboard and Junior Longboard Champion Jack Tyro of Sumner.

The annual Mainpower Winter Thaw returned after a two year lay off courtesy of COVID restrictions and is run by the only boardriders club in North Canterbury, the Northside Boardriders.

The Northside Boardriders also ran a beach clean up event with the support of Mainpower.

Northside Boardriders committee member Tania Huria, said ‘‘the Winter Thaw was a real community event and members got behind this fun surfing event to start off their competitive season.

‘‘We really appreciate the Waikuku Beach Surf Life Saving Club sharing their facilities with us as we do not have a clubrooms.

‘‘The Winter Thaw is a great first event for those juniors who want to learn more about surfing as a sport,’’ she said.

Huria also gave thanks to the local businesses that also sponsored the event ‘‘without our local sponsors we would not be able to run. Big thank you to Pointbreak Construction, Joyce & Co Accounting...