Mount Maunganui Archives - New Zealand Surf Journal

The 60-Year-Old Grommet Who Realised His Mentawai Dream

Derek MorrisonOct 12, 2023October 12, 20230

A self-described “Average Joe”, Leigh Sullivan, shares his journey from Burleigh Heads to Mount Maunganui as a pre-teen, and his exacting discovery of surfing, which led him around the world and eventually to the Mentawais 45 years later. I was 11 years old when we moved from Burleigh Heads in...

Billabong Grom Series, Mount Maunganui, Part 2

Derek MorrisonFeb 2, 2022November 29, 20220

Entering your first national event can be daunting, but it appeared to be no drama for 11-year-old Mount Maunganui surfer Sol Fritchley who stormed to victory in the Under 14 Boys Division of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge this Sunday. Fritchley was joined by Leia Millar (Piha) who...

Billabong Grom Series: Mount Maunganui, Part One

Derek MorrisonFeb 2, 2022November 29, 20220

Three winners emerged on a unique day at the Billabong Grom Series held at Tay Street, Mount Maunganui on Saturday. Event one in the three-event series, saw the contest fields split into two to accommodate the New Zealand Government’s red light settings. Finn Vette (Gis), Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara) and Tao...

Five Minutes With Anna Brock

Derek MorrisonApr 1, 2021April 1, 20210

From a stellar run at the 2021 Nationals to a string of top results in the Billabong Grom Series, 16-year-old Anna Brock, is on a performance surge right now. We sit down with the Mount Maunganui-based surfer right before her Under 16 final at the Billabong Grom Comp at Whangamata....

Rising Grom: Isaac Klein-Ovink

Derek MorrisonMar 9, 2021March 10, 20210

Almost two years ago the Klein-Ovink family realised they had life back-to-front. They lived in Auckland and traveled to surf. So they uprooted the family home and moved to Papamoa. For 17-year-old Isaac, his older sister, Baylin, and younger brother, PJ, that was a dream come true. NZSJ: Tell us...

Raglan Surfers Dominate Grom Series Opener At The Mount

Derek MorrisonFeb 1, 2021May 3, 20210

Raglan surfers have swept four of the six divisions at the first event of the 2021 Billabong Grom Series held at Mount Maunganui this weekend including both the premier Under 18 Divisions. In a stunning display of surfing, titles went to Kora Cooper, Brie Bennett, Navryn Malone and Maya Mateja. ...

Greetings From Kehu Butler

Derek MorrisonNov 4, 2020December 12, 20220

Filmmaker Billy Lee-Pope and Kehu Butler join forces to bring this epic introduction into the life of one of New Zealand’s greatest surfers, Kehu Butler. Greetings from Te Kehukehu Mokoia Ngawhika Patara Butler, or Kehu Butler, follows the 20-year-old Māori surfer and offers a glimpse into his life. You get...

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....

The Travis McCoy Story: Nothing Puts Life Into Focus Like Death

Derek MorrisonMay 3, 20200

In 2017 Mount Maunganui’s Travis McCoy went for a surf that ended in an horrific fin gash to his face. But it was what the subsequent scan showed that changed his life forever. Surf photographer Peter Chamberlain sits down with Travis a few years into his recovery to see how...

Iconic Kiwi Surfboard Shaper To Close Factory, Move To Japan

Grant DysonDec 19, 2019December 19, 20190

Renowned Mount Maunganui-based shaper Andy Jordan will soon bow to a strong call from the Land of the Rising Sun and move to a “forgotten” Japanese island to live. The veteran shaper has crafted an extraordinary 7330-plus “AJ” boards – short, long, twin fins and all the rest, over about...