She is one of the fiercest competitors to emerge through the grom ranks, but what makes 14-year-old Alani Morse such a force to be reckoned with? We sat down with Alani on the heels of her 2025 New Zealand Surfing Championship campaign.
In Taranaki for the 2025 Nationals Alani Morse was a standout all week in the free surfs and heats. She was clearly there to shake up the ranks. So when she got knocked in her Under 16s quarterfinal – a division she has been crowned champion in for 2023 and 2024 – Alani was fired up.
“All through that Under 16 quarterfinal I felt lost and unsure,” Alani concedes. “It felt like I was chasing good waves that weren’t there. Every time I caught a wave I found myself behind the shallow rock wall. I remember the wind in my face, having no clue of the time or my placing, and being completely out of time for the sets.”
At the conclusion of the quarterfinal Alani climbed across the rocks unaware of her result and disappointed in her performance.
“During my walk up the beach I heard the commentator read out the results,” Alani recalls. “It came as a shock – almost like a dream. It felt unreal, and in a very bad way. I can’t really explain how much that shook me. There was not much I could do about it – I had to sit through and watch the rest of the girls surf. In the moment it felt like the whole world was watching. Although it was extremely tough and, at the time, felt unbearable, it gave me some time to reflect on myself. I knew the only thing left to do was stay humble, pick myself up and climb out of this hole I had dug myself.”
“In the moment it felt like the whole world was watching. Although it was extremely tough and, at the time, felt unbearable, it gave me some time to reflect on myself. I knew the only thing left to do was stay humble, pick myself up and climb out of this hole I had dug myself.”
Alani admitted that getting knocked out so early changed the way she looked at losing. “I learnt that my losses don’t define who I am but the way I react and respond will,” she explains. “Although it was the end of my winning streak I cannot be anymore grateful for this experience. I know this is something that will benefit me in life and in surfing.”
She laughs and tells me that being grateful for the experience “doesn’t hide how much it pissed me off”.
“I know if I use the anger and regret wisely It will give me a fight greater than anything,” Alani adds. “That was the worse I have ever felt over a loss. I think that is why I did so well in the Open Women’s – it felt like a revenge story against myself. There was no way I was going to let myself lose like that again.”
Channeling that frustration in her Open Women’s campaign saw Alani go head-to-head with eventual winner Ava Henderson, finishing second to the eminent Christchurch surfer.
“In competitions I like to compete against myself more than others,” Alani offers. “I focus on my performance rather than my overall results. My goal for the Nationals was to give the judges something to get excited about. Being the underdog I had nothing to lose, I just had to give it all or nothing, taking each heat at a time.”
“Second place was definitely something I was stoked about – my goal was to beat last year’s result [Alani finished third in the Open Women’s in 2024], but first place is something we are all striving for.”
With a personal goal to “get crazy barrelled and try progressive manoeuvres” it’s not surprising to see Alani take on some big sections and big days. She’s right at home chasing barrels and navigating the lineup on those days where others are getting washed in, or can’t even paddle out.
“Big waves are my absolute favorite,” Alani beams. “It means I have the opportunity to really surf my best and also try new things. I love a big barrel or two. I’m quite comfortable in big waves it’s a relaxing time for me being out there.”
“Sometimes when it’s extremely big one of my many amazing mentors, Daniel Kereopa, takes me out on the jet ski for some tow-ins and, I can’t lie, I feel quite uncomfortable out there. I guess the adrenaline and my past experience of vert ramp skating really helps me in these extreme conditions and also being able to trust the people around me, too.”
“Sometimes when it’s extremely big one of my many amazing mentors, Daniel Kereopa, takes me out on the jet ski for some tow-ins and, I can’t lie, I feel quite uncomfortable out there.”
The entire Morse family surf. Her older brother, Theo, is a top competitor, too. “I am truly fortunate to have an incredible family who all love surfing and that support me even when it can get tough,” considers Alani. “My big bro is the most incredible brother – I love sharing the surf with him and we tend to push each other all the time.”
“All of my best memories and surfs are shared with my family. We have some of the best adventures and they can become absolutely chaos-filled with a bit of friendly banter, but it truly makes trips a hundred times better.”
A week in Taranaki is always a good thing for any surfer – for Alani getting to surf Stent was a highlight.
“Surfing Stent Road with three other gals out when it was kinda firing at times was special,” Alani shares.
“Me and Ava had some sick yarns in the final and it was so fun battling it out with her and the other girls.
It brings me so much joy seeing the next generation of Under 14 girls coming through and ripping as well!”
Alani has a lot of goals for 2025 and a great team around her to help her achieve them. She plans to gain as much experience as she can doing New Zealand and international comps, while working on her surfing with the support of the Raglan Surf Academy and The Refinery in Whaingaroa.
“I have some radical goals in place and will be hoping to achieve as many as possible so I’m going to be super busy working towards them.”
Not many young surf athletes come with the whole package: a natural ability, incredible work ethic, the unquenchable drive to succeed and the support to realise the dream. Alani has all four in spades. In a global surf community that is witnessing women level right up in waves of consequence we reckon Alani’s got perfect timing.
Alani Morse
