NZ's best stand up paddleboarders to descend on Mount Maunganui

The Eves NZ SUP nationals will run March 4 to 6 as part of the Waterbourne Beach Festival. Photo / Supplied

New Zealand's best stand-up paddleboarders are heading to Mount Maunganui to be crowned the undisputed national stand-up paddleboarding champion next month.

The Eves NZ SUP nationals will run from March 4 to 6 as part of the Waterbourne Beach Festival.

The nationals include three components that will crown the national champions in sprints, technical and distance. The event started in Wellington and has since been held in Auckland during the America's Cup, but has made its way to Mount Maunganui this year.

Event organiser Laurence Carey said the event would be held in Mount Maunganui for the foreseeable future.

"Mount Maunganui is the ideal location as it provides conditions for all disciplines. This means we can have people racing in the waves and flat water from one venue, showcasing how unique the sport is.

"Alongside this, we have the ability to have a great viewing platform for the public to see the sports and beach activities," Carey said.

Waterbourne Beach Festival will encompass a variety of watersports, games, competitions, water safety programmes and other free public events.

The 2022 NZ Beach Volleyball Tour Finals will be a part of the festival, and the event will also be hosting the NZ Foil Centre Wingfoil Weekend, seeing people of all ages compete in wingfoil racing – one of the fastest-growing watersports in the world.

The Tip Top Paddle Ninja Games will see competitors take on paddleboarding with a twist – trying to stay on their board as they tackle an inflatable obstacle course.

There will also be music and sandcastle building competitions for families to be a part of as they watch the watersport action. There will also be a range of giveaways, including paddleboards and beach essentials.

Carey said the festival not only attracted people from outside the region but also built a strong foundation to showcase the region as a watersports destination.

The Eves NZ SUP nationals will run March 4 to 6 as part of the Waterbourne Beach Festival. Photo / Supplied

"Waterbourne has the opportunity to bring athletes from overseas when borders allow, alongside international musicians for the evenings. Although we cannot bring the expected 10,000-plus people to the city with the music, 2022 will attract families from around the country for the range of watersports."

The event is one of only a few still able to go ahead at the red traffic light setting, and has faced a number of roadblocks along the way.

"Due to restrictions we have had to restructure and change the wider festival as we have had to cancel all our music shows, including international headliner Sub Focus from the UK," Carey said.

"Alongside these major changes, we have had to build in contingencies to ensure athletes and public are separated into groups of 100 to fit within the current guidelines.

"We are expecting 100-plus athletes to be competing, with athletes coming from both the North and South Island to compete. Unfortunately, we will not be able to have international athletes competing due to border restrictions, but we look forward to having these athletes here when achievable.

"We are working with the wider paddleboard community to ensure they feel safe competing at the red light setting, where some obstacles cannot be overcome like when athletes are unvaccinated."

The Eves NZ SUP nationals are among 15 coastal Bay of Plenty events that are being supported over the next two years by the Regional Events Fund (REF).

The Government introduced the REF to assist the tourism sector during the Covid-19 pandemic, while New Zealand's border remains closed to international visitors.

TECT trustee Mark Arundel said the NZ SUP nationals would bring many benefits to the region.

"Stand-up paddleboarding is a fantastic sport that keeps so many people in our community active, fit and out enjoying our beautiful natural environment.

"Hosting the nationals here will help reinforce Mount Maunganui as the pinnacle location for paddle boarding and water sports in New Zealand. We look forward to seeing the wider Waterbourne Festival bring hundreds of visitors to our region to see all we have to offer."

To learn more about Waterbourne Festival click here.