Celebrated Raglan surfer Billy Stairmand is an Olympian and eight-time national champion but is yet to ride a wave in Westport on the South Island's rugged West Coast.
Billy Stairmand. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
He hopes to mark his first competition of the year in Tauranga Bay by extending his extraordinary record at this week's New Zealand national championships.
"I went to Greymouth for the first time at the start of last year chasing some waves, but this is my first time heading to Westport," he said.
"I'm really looking forward to putting the rash shirt on again."
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Stairmand's dominance dates back to his first win in 2010 - only three others have taken the title since - Jay Quinn, Ricardo Christie and Elliot Paerata-Reid.
He said the championship title carried enormous prestige.
"I've always wanted to be a national champion, ever since I started surfing. It's a really good way to start the year and kind of just get into that competitive mode early and prepare myself to compete internationally," he said.
Westport is hosting the nationals from 11-15 January for just the second time in the event's 59-year history.
Eight-time women's World Tour veteran Paige Hareb is on the hunt for her first New Zealand championship crown in Westport.
Paige Hareb. Photo: Photosport/WSL
She has seldom competed at the nationals because of international commitments, but the Covid-19 pandemic has meant more time on home shores.
"Within New Zealand that's the final thing that I need to tick off, so it would be nice to get that done this week. It's one of those things that I've wanted to do for a long time," she said.
Hareb has not surfed in Westport either, but hopes the conditions are similar to her base on the rough Taranaki coast.
"It's on the West Coast, so it can get pretty big and wild, which is what I'm used to back in Taranaki. I'm hoping it will suit me," she said.
Hareb will face strong opposition from junior surfers including 2020 national champion Ava Henderson.
The Christchurch 16-year-old shocked the surf world when she won the crown at the age of just 14.
Other young women vying for the title include Raglan's Brie Bennett, Piha's Liv Haysom and Gabrielle Paul, Taranaki's Natasha Gouldsbury and Mount Maunganui's Anna Brock.
Defending women's champion Saffi Vette will not compete because she is preparing for the World Surf League Regional Qualifying Series in Australia.
Surfing New Zealand chief executive Ben Kennings said the championships had attracted more than 300 entries from surfers competing for silverware engraved with the names of every winner since 1963.
"Anyone as a young surfer sees that trophy lifted up on the final day of the event and they go man, I want to win that," he said.
Surfers will compete in a total of 29 divisions, including the premier open men and women's events, age groups from under-14s to over-60s and longboard, stand-up paddleboard, bodyboard and kneeboard disciplines.
Westport's Jai Earnshaw is also expected to make a competitive comeback this year, after winning the under-18 boys division in his home town in 1997 and going on to become one of the country's best surfers.
Gisborne Boardriders will defend the club title which will be contested by Raglan, Auckland, Mount Maunganui, Christchurch, Dunedin and the home town Buller Boardriders.
Billy Stairmand said he was enjoying summer at home following his Tokyo Olympics debut and months overseas following the World Surf League Challenger Series in the US, Portugal, France and Hawaii.
"It was a pretty crazy year. It was one of the best years I've ever had," he said.
"I feel refreshed and ready to go."
Both Stairmand and Hareb hope to head to Australia to compete in next month's Regional Qualifying Series, unless another coronavirus wave crashes on them.