Maya Mateja at the national surfing championships in Dunedin. Photo: Surfing NZ
Fifteen-year-old Maya Mateja has become the third-youngest woman to win a national surfing title after stunning the field in Dunedin on Saturday.
Raglan surfer Mateja first got a sniff of the title when she posted a 7.10 point ride to edge ahead of Christchurch rival Estella Hungerford in the final, in clean 1.0m waves and hot temperatures.
She added a 5.80 rider to give her a 12.90 score to snatch her maiden title.
"I prepared for this event to win but all the girls were ripping and I honestly didn't know whether I was capable," Mateja said.
"The first thing I did was talk to Dad back at Raglan, he was so happy and I also got a long message from mum in Mexico but my phone went flat and I didn't get a chance to read the whole message."
Hungerford was second in the final, ahead of two more Raglan surfers - 13-year-old Alani Morse and Brie Bennett.
New Zealand Olympic representative Saffi Vette was eliminated in the semi-finals.
Taranaki surfer Daniel Farr claim his second national men's title by the closest margin in the history of the event.
Daniel Farr. Photo: photosport
Farr posted a 16.50 point total to leave him level with Piha's Dune Kennings but victory was secured courtesy of having the highest single wave score of a 9.0.
"Yeah that was an intense final. What a way to win it," Farr said.
"I was happy with a nine but to see Dune come out with two 8.5 point rides and hearing that for the last seven or eight minutes of the final was nerve wracking. It just made me nervous and I was stressing out but it worked out in my favour by the end of the final."
Farr's first title came at Westport in 2022.