Another waveski nationals, another open title to Nigel Bryant in Gisborne

One-time Gisborne surfer Nigel Bryant (pictured in action in 2021), now of Napier, won yet another New Zealand open waveski surfing title at Midway Beach over Easter. Photo / Paul Rickard

Napier’s Nigel Bryant is no stranger to Gisborne waves or winning New Zealand waveski surfing titles here.

Over the 32 years that the Turanganui Waveski Club has hosted the annual national contest, he has amassed too many to remember.

On Saturday at Midway Beach, Bryant again won the open division, plus his age-group title, in solid surf that tested abilities to get out to the line-up just as much as it tested surfing skills.

The small field was missing a couple of its long-time marquee competitors and champions, but made up for that with some fresh talent.

New Plymouth’s Hywell Davies was one of them, surfing solidly to finish second to Bryant in the open and grandmaster finals.

His years in the sport were evident throughout the heats and he sprang the best wave of the day.

Third and fourth in the open were Trevor Kimber, of Ōpōtiki, and evergreen competitor Brian Howard, of Auckland, while Australian Rhys Pollett and Gisborne’s Matt Evans rounded out the grandmaster top four.

Knocked out of the open, Vince Gardner saved his best to win the veteran division in a man-on-man with Kimber.

While the waves were not perfect, ideal weather conditions added icing to a celebration of more than three decades the New Zealand Open has been held in Gisborne.

It first appeared here courtesy of an overnight change of venue, chasing competition waves. It went on to become an Easter institution at local breaks, topped off by the world championships staged at Makorori in 2008.

A key face among those who have continued to keep the faith is Gisborne’s two-time world veteran age group champion Steve Gibbs, who has served as contest director here on virtually all of those occasions and ticked off yet another in 2026.