Waihi Beach Surf Boat Rowing

Hope everyone at Nationals has an awesome few days of racing - and the waves are good to you! 🏁🌊

Boaties, officials, supporters and whānau - we’d really appreciate you taking 2-3 minutes to complete our quick Surf Boat Spectacular (Waihī Beach) feedback survey:
👉 https://tinyurl.com/SurfBoatsFeedback

This year was the first time we trialled a combined 3-day format with ERCs included. We were testing the waters, and now we want to hear what worked, what didn’t, what you want to keep and what you’d change.

Your feedback will be shared with the Surf Boats Working Group, and we’ll also share the results back with the boatie community. It’ll help shape what we start planning and working on for 2027 - and keep this event right up there as one of the best on the calendar.

If you’re at Nationals and want to kōrero in person too, grab Bruce Matheson (Competitor Liaison) - he’s easy to find and happy to talk through any ideas or issues.

Thanks team - really appreciate it.
Click the link further up - or tap/scan the QR code 👇🏼

A weekend we won’t forget.

Thank you to everyone who came together to honour Dan Harris QSM - and everything he gave to Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services Inc. and to surf boat rowing in Aotearoa over many decades. The number of people and crews Dan mentored and influenced is huge, and it showed in the turnout - our crews past and present, plus boaties from around the country, all here to pay respects and share stories.

A special thank you (and big respect) to the crews who travelled down specifically for the Saturday row and paddle out tribute - Omanu and Ōrewa, thank you for making the trip and being such an important part of it. Thanks also to the surf officials who travelled down for the full weekend - attending the memorial service, staying overnight, and then being part of the Saturday row and paddle out.

We were honoured to support the Harris / O’Connor / James whānau as they farewelled Dan at Friday’s memorial service - Dan was the much-loved husband of Thelma (a valued club member), and father of Janine O’Connor, Tracey James and Greg Harris.

On Saturday, we were proud to deliver the club’s tribute row and paddle out for the whānau, with Jim Warwick (President, Surf Life Saving New Zealand) and Nathan Hight (SLSNZ Board member) attending.

A few moments that summed it up:
🔹Friday’s beautiful conditions allowed the 1997–2002 men’s crew to head out for a row in the Dan Harris boat — much to their joy at being back in a surf boat for the first time in 24 years.
🔹 The club gifted the family a wooden sweep oar, signed over the weekend by attendees — a simple and meaningful keepsake.
🔹 A wonderful tribute was delivered by Bruce Matheson (NZ Surf Boat Working Group, long-standing official and a key supporter and driver of the North Island Surf Boat Champs), alongside heartfelt speeches from Steve Giles, Ricky Bray, Jack Kingsford and Claire Brazell, each representing different crews swept by Dan. Emotional, honest deliveries with a common theme - yes Dan was hard and tough, but he taught people so much, and for all these crews he was a champion, mentor and mate.
🔹 A five gun salute from Nigel Tizard, followed by a gun start, as part of the tribute.
🔹 Michelle Newton swapping roles for the day — from her usual spot as a surf official on the beach to a seat in the Ōrewa boat.

Saturday brought a very different challenge — wet, windy, rough and choppy conditions with a definite sideways current - more challenging than hoped, but everyone dug deep and managed it. A wreath and flowers were dropped into the water out the back of the breakers (with splashing and laughter alongside the quiet moments), before rowing and paddling home to food, drinks, and more stories on the deck.

All in all, a fitting send-off for a man many knew as “Hard Man Harris” and a legacy we still benefit from today, with surf boat rowing in a very good heart at Waihī Beach.

And a huge thank you to Alex Wilkins for once again being there and capturing it all - stunning photos as always. Album here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lxander_photography/albums/72177720332284633

Surf Boats NZ

📸 And full, updated albums from Alex Wilkins here - give these photographers some love - they follow our events all over the country, purely for the joy of seeing the racing, being part of the action and capturing stunning images!

1️⃣ Eastern Region Championships
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lxander_photography/albums/72177720332014895

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lxander_photography/albums/72177720332014955


2️⃣ North Island Surf Boat Championships
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lxander_photography/albums/72177720332121175

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lxander_photography/albums/72177720332121325

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lxander_photography/albums/72177720332145803

3️⃣ Champion of Champions
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lxander_photography/albums/72177720332161503

Surf Boats NZ

Champion Of Champions 2026 Waihi Beach

New/fresh link for BarbzSnapz as the one published last week doesn’t work for some - this one is a public link and has loads more pics in it - enjoy 😊

https://www.flickr.com/gp/barbz_snapz/89Q7TKF462
Surf Boats NZ

Before too much more time passes, and after taking time to honour Dan Harris’ passing, the founder of the North Island Surf Boat Championships and Champion of Champions here at Waihī Beach, we wanted to share the first of the photo galleries from an unforgettable three days of racing.

Three days that delivered on every level: great racing, tight finishes, huge teamwork, and the best part… catching up with everyone on and off the beach.

A massive thank you to our Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services clubbies who put in countless hours to deliver this event! From feeding officials, running the BBQ and burgers, the work party massive mahi, event support, and all the behind-the-scenes action that keeps things moving, you absolutely made it happen.

And to every one of you who travelled to be part of it - thank you!
•Surf officials: huge appreciation to those who made the trip to be here (and to our own members who also stepped in as officials).
•Event water safety: an awesome mix of our own surf lifeguards and support from around the country.
•Event first aid: a great team effort with both local and visiting support - including our doctor who came all the way from Scotland!

📸 PHOTOS
We’ve added a few in this post, but check out the full albums from our photographers:

Alex Wilkins – epic action shots and behind-the-scenes moments:
Flickr album links:
1. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCJVXc
2. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCKq5P (ERCs 1)
3. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCKq6R (ERCs 2)

Barb Lewis (BarbzSnapz)
Flickr album link: 152834695@N03/sets/72177720331924396" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://flickr.com/photos/152834695@N03/sets/72177720331924396

Tag your crew and club if you spot them - there are so many epic captures in here! Make sure you follow Alex on Flickr. Barb usually emails links to each club.

Surf Boats NZ