The competition will be held at the sleepy little surf mecca of Klitmøller, also known as “Cold Hawaii”.
“The waves look fun over there but it’s really cold, with snow,” says Smith. “But the competition will be in summer so it might be warmer.”
First nationals for the girls — and large, stormy surfThe girls were competing in their first national championships, held in large surf and stormy conditions. Throughout the week-long competition the waves fluctuated between overhead to triple overhead, and breaking way out to sea, providing a tough task for the girls given it was also their first time surfing at the unruly west coast beach.
But for the Gisborne Girls’ High students, who have spent many years training with Wainui Surf Lifesaving Club, the big waves were more fun than scary.
“The waves got bigger through the week but it was good for me as I like bigger waves — they are more exciting,” says Saffi, who also won the u16 girls’ division at the New Zealand scholastics championship in Gisborne in November last year.
“We are quite comfortable surfing in big waves through our training at the surf club. Quite a few of the other girls in the u16s weren’t comfortable in big waves so it gave us an advantage.”
Both have also trained with Mount Maunganui-based surf coach Matty Scorringe and his specialist Art of Surfing programme since they were 11, with support from Gisborne Boardriders Club.
Still, the massive surf and changing conditions made competing difficult.
“Every heat, the conditions were changing,” says Saffi. “Even in my u16 final I didn’t realise I had won as we couldn’t hear anything in the water. I caught a wave with seconds to go. The girl who came second got excited, then I beat her by just 0.7 of a point.”
Stella’s heat had to be postponed due to the surf.
“We didn’t surf until the second-to-last day but it was so big and wild they called us back in. I had only just made it out the back as well, then had to paddle all the way back in.”
Stella’s older sister Jasmine, a former Gisborne surfer now based at Burleigh Heads on Australia’s Gold Coast, gave them some tips about surfing Piha.
“She did heaps of competitions there so told us what to expect,” said Stella. “She has helped me a lot when its come to heat strategies.”
Jasmine and cousin and fellow Gisborne surfer Abby Falwasser-Logan, compete in Australia and are inspiring Saffi and Stella to make it to the world stage.
“I love when Abbey and Jasmine come home to surf as it pushes us a lot more,” says Saffi.
Other sources of inspiration include Gisborne/Mahia pro surfer Ricardo Christie and recent national open women’s winner Ella Williams, who has also had international success.
“Seeing people from New Zealand do well is really inspiring, as we are so far away from everything,” says Stella.
Both have dreams of making the World Surf League and even the Olympics one day.
“Making the Olympics would be the ultimate,” says Saffi.
Next up for the pair is the Billabong Grom Series. The first of three competitions is being held in Mount Maunganui on Janaury 28-29.