Almost 5 and a half hours braving Gisborne's autumnal surf will be worth every chilly minute for 12-year-old Arataki surfer Kehu Butler, who has won an all-expenses-paid trip to the Gold Coast next year to meet his idol, world No 1 Kelly Slater.
Butler, one of New Zealand's fast-rising grommets, surfed three finals at the weekend's Quiksilver King of the Groms at Wainui beach, but it was his runaway win in the under-14 division that got him an audience with Slater.
For his efforts, the Mt Maunganui Intermediate student won VIP passes for him and his dad Khan to the Quiksilver Pro next March in Queensland.
The next 10 months can't go quickly enough for the pint-sized natural footer, who has taken the contest scene by storm this summer.
"I just can't wait," Butler said yesterday, with his teachers constantly buzzing past our interview to congratulate him.
"We've got VIP passes so me and dad will probably just sit on the couch on the beach and watch Kelly Slater surf.
"I'll try and get his autograph first and maybe ask him some questions if I'm not too nervous."
Butler went into the season-ending contest leading the under-12 and under-14 divisions and smashed both again, with the under-14 title earning him the trip across the Tasman, as well as a stash of leg ropes, wax, bags and tail pads.
Butler also won through to the under-16 boys' final in pumping 1m surf but the toil of having surfed 15 20-minute heats over the weekend had clearly taken its toll.
He battled into last spot up against Whangamata winner Dune Kennings, Piha's Elliot Paerata-Reid and Mckenzie Bowden (Whangamata).
He was unstoppable in the under-14 final though, swinging into a wave on the starting hooter and posting an 8.0 ride.
Midway through the final he eventually took the lead and then went on to score the heat-high 8.6 ride to extend his lead.
Butler took out his first final of the day in the under-12s after an 8.83 ride early in the heat pushed him out in front of his opponents.
His flawless forehand hacks tight in the pocket saw him ride to his best wave score and he backed that up with a 5.6 for a 14.43 point total to head off Tane Bowden, Mt Maunganui's Lee Ririnui and Jared Gebert (Ohope).
He said it was easy getting pumped up for the Wainui waves, tucking into several barrels over the weekend, after coming from the comparatively surf-starved coast further up the North Island.
"When you're used to surfing crap waves, going to a region with good surf only makes you try harder," he said.
Butler's dad taught him to surf six years ago, letting him ride the whitewater at Omanu to get his confidence until he was old enough to paddle out the back and tackle the breaking waves.
RESULTS
Under-16 boys final: Dune Kennings (Whmata), 15.17, 1, McKenzie Bowden (Whmata), 10.90, 2, Elliot Paerata-Reid (Piha), 8.75, 3, Kehu Butler (Arataki), 7.57, 4.
Under-14 boys final: Kehu Butler (Arataki),16.60, 1, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay) 13.33, 2, Isaac Kettle (Tara), 10.20, 3, Tane Bowden (Whmata), 8.70, 4.
Under-12 boys' final: Kehu Butler (Arataki), 14.43, 1, Tane Bowden (Whmata), 10.87, 2, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 7.10, 3, Jared Gebert (Ohope), 6.0, 4.