Boardriders Club get $50k injection

Hunta Collins (left) and Ezra Bishop enjoy the thrill of riding a wave in a Gisborne Boardriders Club community outreach initiative. Picture by Don Pearson

Gisborne Boardriders Club has been awarded a grant of $50,000 towards the salary of its surfing development manager.

The grant comes from New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT), which raises money for amateur sport, the arts, education, health and the community by operating gaming machines in over 100 pubs and other venues around the country.

A statement from the Boardriders committee said NZCT support had been vital to the club’s achievements over the past five years.

“We’re extremely fortunate to have a wonderful manager who, with the help of many others, has transformed Gisborne Boardriders Club,” the statement said.

“With the installation of four containers — each including 20 surfboards and 60 wetsuits — in Tokomaru Bay, Waipiro Bay, Wharekahika and Māhia, we’ve been able to make surfing more accessible throughout Tairāwhiti.

“Our people feel more confident around the moana, get more active and feel more connected to each other.

“Through our ‘Surf for Life’ initiative, we provide tamariki and rangatahi with a chance to play in their natural surroundings, while also learning safety and coming together as a whānau.

“Our events for adaptive surfers, farmers, women, and girls complement our community surfing programmes.

“Our club has an incredibly rich history of competitive surfing, which we foster through excellent surf competitions and a strong junior development pathway.

“The grant will help ensure that Gisborne Boardriders Club can continue to make surfing more accessible to tamariki and rangatahi living in our communities.

“It will promote healthier life choices, while also providing a safe environment in which to increase physical activity and fitness levels, improving child obesity rates and mental resilience in our rangatahi.

“Our programmes also improve participants’ connection to the ocean environment, which in turn translates into a deeper appreciation of our kaitiakitanga, or guardianship.

“Our goal is to grow capabilities and leadership within our local communities, so that surfing becomes sustainable well into the future.

“This grant will not only increase participation throughout our remote East Coast community and marae connections during our noho weekends, but also increase the quality of all our programmes through upskilling workshops.

“It will enable us to create a pipeline of talent that will grow the programmes, reach new participants and provide succession pathways.

“Gisborne Boardriders Club ensures equal opportunities for all genders, ages and demographics. Our inclusive surf events and initiatives give everyone an opportunity to enjoy the holistic benefits of our sport.

“We especially want to increase the participation of women and girls, enhancing their confidence.

“Quality surf coaching services are expensive. This grant will ensure that our rangatahi from our communities have the chance to progress into competitive surfing and gain confidence in competitive environments. Our long-term goal is to see more Tairāwhiti surfers representing Aotearoa on the world stage.

“For us, it’s all about ‘sharing the stoke’ — that feeling of connection, exhilaration and excitement that can even become a spiritual experience. We love to share the stoke with others through our inclusive surf events and initiatives that bring the community together.

“Our goal is to create more opportunities for kids and those residents of our local communities who would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn how to surf safely.”

One “proud parent” said that with Gisborne Boardriders they all got to share their piece of paradise with whānau who travelled and learned together.

“The best thing for me was watching my girl gain confidence in the water, even though she gets a bit of a big head about it sometimes!”