Derek Morrison

Scholastics 2020: Day 3 in 30 Frames

Derek MorrisonOct 7, 2020October 14, 20200

Canterbury takes an early home-water advantage on Day 3 at the National Scholastic Championships contested at Meatworks, Kaikoura. A mammoth day of surfing was required to make headway into the event after a half day on Monday and complete lay day on Day 2. The Under 18 Boys Division got...

Scholastics 2020: Day 1 In 30 Frames

Derek MorrisonOct 6, 2020October 15, 20200

Kaikoura turns it on for Day 1 of the National Scholastic Surfing Championships. The 110 competitors were greeted by a small wind swell which was complemented by warm temperatures and light winds. Regional teams from the length of the country posted up on the rocks at Meatworks, Kaikoura. With morning...

The Edge: Chasing Energy With Doug Young

Derek MorrisonOct 5, 20200

Doug Young, Dan Smith and Dave Lyons target an unruly wave on the edge of a reef during the last storm of the season. The ingredients were this: two 180-degree south swells, both 4m at 14 seconds, a west southwest wind that may drop to 20 knots, if we’re lucky,...

Kaikoura Grom Comp Concludes 2020 South Island Grom Series  

Derek MorrisonOct 5, 2020October 7, 20200

The Kaikoura Grom Comp concluded the South Island Grom Series this weekend with the junior event attracting a huge field of surfers and bringing together families from throughout New Zealand. The solid swell that ran up the coast all week finally dissipated overnight leaving only a small swell of under...

Event Wrap: Sticky Johnson 2020 Primary School Champs

Derek MorrisonSep 27, 20200

The rush to defeat the storm bearing down on New Zealand this weekend, made for an action packed day of surfing at the Sticky Johnson 2020 Primary School Championships presented by Skullcandy on Saturday (26th September). The champs, held at Makorori Beach, Gisborne, was the first national event since the...

Watch: Ben Young. Sculptor. Surfer

Derek MorrisonSep 25, 20200

Carving a niche at the intersection between glass and concrete, artist and sculptor Ben Young has become world renowned for his incredible artworks. Originally from Waihi Beach and now based in Mount Maunganui, Ben is an extraordinary talent and one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet....

Watch: Flightless Obsession

Derek MorrisonSep 20, 2020September 25, 20200

Flightless Obsession features New Zealand’s elite surfers such as provisional Olympic qualifiers Billy Stairmand and Ella Williams along with dozens of the country’s best surfers in a scrapbook-style edit. It is the first crowd-sourced surf movie that Surfing New Zealand has embarked upon to showcase local talent. It has been...

Five Minutes With: Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings

Derek MorrisonSep 16, 2020December 12, 20220

New Zealand Surf Journal catches up with Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings to discuss broken backs, new constitutions, the Olympic pathway and to find out what he’d do if he had full control of the sport and no resource limitations. The top role at Surfing New Zealand is certainly not...

Watch: Paige Alms, Eli Olson Win Big Wave Paddle Awards

Derek MorrisonSep 11, 2020September 11, 20200

Paige Alms and Eli Olson win Biggest Wave Paddle-In Award at the World Surf League 2020 Red Bull Big Wave Awards. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, this year’s Big Wave Awards (BWA) honour the best in big wave surfing from the past 12 months, from big-wave breaks throughout the world. Justine...

Maya Gabeira Wins Big Wave Awards With Guinness World Record Ride

Derek MorrisonSep 11, 2020September 11, 20200

Maya Gabeira sets a new Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed by a female as she wins XXL Biggest Wave Award. Gabeira’s record-setting wave measured 73.5 feet, besting her own previous World Record of 68 feet. She broke the record at the infamous big-wave surf break, Praia...