Photo credit: Sport New Zealand.
The Surf for Life – East Coast initiative has been recognised as a finalist in the 2025 NZ Sport and Recreation Awards for the Community Impact category, celebrating its deep community roots and transformative impact.
Led by Gisborne Boardriders Club and proudly supported by Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti, Surf for Life is a locally-led movement empowering tamariki, rangatahi, and their whānau to connect with the moana, reclaim surfing as a taonga, and strengthen community wellbeing through active recreation.
While the initiative did not take home the award, being named a national finalist is an incredible honour that acknowledges the hard mahi of the communities that drive this kaupapa.
The Gisborne Boardriders were the driving force behind this kaupapa – designing the programme, mentoring local coaches, and embedding surfing as a practice of whanaungatanga and wellbeing.
“Making the finals at a national level is a true testament to the collective mahi poured into this kaupapa over the past few years” said Gisborne Boardriders Club Surfing Development Manager Flo Bub.
“With a shared ‘why’ that’s bigger than any one of us, we’ve seen what’s possible when communities come together with purpose. A heartfelt thank you to every supporter, coach, and funder who has backed Surf for Life – East Coast. It’s been incredible to witness the energy and aroha across Tairāwhiti, creating something truly special.”
“Celebrating this recognition in Wellington alongside our local champions and supporters was a proud and emotional moment. While we didn’t take home the award this time, the real win is in the waves – in the confidence of our tamariki, the joy of our whānau, and the strength of our community.”
“We’re proud to stand alongside the Gisborne Boardriders and our East Coast communities in celebrating this recognition,” said Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti Chief Executive Stefan Pishief.
“This isn’t just about awards – it’s about the tamariki who are now confident in the water, the parents who are learning to surf alongside their kids, and the thriving connection to identity and place being nurtured through this kaupapa.”
At its heart, Surf for Life – East Coast is about community empowerment. From its origins in noho marae and local wānanga to the installation of four surf hubs located at Mahia, Tokomaru Bay, Waipiro Bay and Wharekahika which are equipped with wetsuits and boards, the programme has grown into a permanent fixture on the East Coast. Tamariki now surf as part of their kura week. Whānau attend weekend surf schools. Local champions – many trained through noho and mentoring – now lead sessions and pass on their knowledge to the next generation.
One of the most powerful moments has been the creation of the Ngāti Porou Primary School Surfing Competition, shaped by the voices of tamariki who wanted to showcase their skills and pride. It’s now a flagship event uniting communities, breaking down intergenerational barriers, and shining a light on rangatahi leadership and hauora.
This national recognition belongs to every child who now sees the ocean as a place of confidence and joy, every parent who’s stepped into the water for the first time, and every community who has connected to the moana.
Tairāwhiti was also on display at the Awards as part of Holly Thorpe’s & Josie McClutchie’s ‘Out of the Darkness’ photo exhibition that was part of the Sport in a Changing Climate research symposium earlier hosted this year by Professor Holly Thorpe.
