Mount Maunganui's Matt Hewitt is one of six surfers selected by Surfing New Zealand to compete at the 2014 ISA World Surfing Games at Punta Negra, Peru, from October 24 to November 1.
The event celebrates the 50th anniversary of the International Surfing Association.
Hewitt is the most experienced surfer in the team, along with Sarah Mason (Gold Coast). They are joined by the Wallis brothers, Zen and Tane, of Piha, JC Susan from Mount Maunganui and Whangamata's Grace Spiers. All four surfers have represented New Zealand with Susan the most capped, having competed at this event in 2011 and 2013.
Hewitt will lead the Kiwi males into the event and has smelled success at ISA events in the past coming third in the under-16 boys' division of the world junior championships in 2007, a result he describes as one of the greatest surfing moments in his career.
This year, he will be combining the chance to compete as part of the team with more ASP qualifying events in Brazil once the team disperses.