Feast of waves thanks to Vic

IN THE ZONE: An unidentified surfer drops into a wave at Wainui's Stock Route early this morning before the crowds arrived. Picture by Finn Rainger

CYCLONE Victor served up plenty of waves over the last few days and the feast is set to continue through to next week. The north-east long-period ground swell (14 to 16 seconds) peaked last night and this morning at around four-foot on the coast beaches.

Wainui’s Stock Route and No Access were pretty busy, as the banks were picking up more swell than other spots here, and there were a lot of fresh faces in the line-up during the after-work session.

Victor will continue to track south and the low pressure could intensify late on Sunday and early next week. This should produce another pulse in swell as the low hovers off the East Cape before diminishing on Wednesday. Stoked!

Light offshore winds and temperatures above 30 degrees are forecast tomorrow and Sunday so get your share before the sea breeze kicks in.

Surf competitionsOrganisers of the first Gisborne Boardriders Club competition of the year tomorrow have timed the date to perfection. If you have not already registered and are reading this before 5pm today, then get online and sort it out at www.sportsground.co.nz/gisborneboardriders/123898/4

There are a few other competitions coming up.

Next weekend is the first event of the Surfing New Zealand Grom Series at Mount Maunganui for under-14, 17 and 20 boys and girls. Online entries close on January 25. See www.surfingnz.co.nz/

Registrations are also open for the 2016 Makorori First Light Longboard Surfing Classic and must be in by February 10. See www.enternowonline.com/4223

New board!I scored a gem at the surf swap last weekend at Beyond the Blue — a seven-foot Wayne Parkes pintail with super crisp glassed-in fins — and it bottom-turns like a dream. New boards bring fresh enthusiasm.

It cost me an old 6’6 which I sold to a beginner. It felt good to offload a surplus board to someone who will put it to use. There must be some absolute beauties lying around in garages here, waiting to be revived.

Aotearoa Surf Film FestivalSubmissions are open for the Aotearoa Surf Film Festival and the window closes on February 5. Entries have to be under 20 minutes, so Dogz the Movie — which features 36 minutes of surfing here over the last year by some of Gisborne’s top young chargers — does not meet the criteria. It was released yesterday on Vimeo and is floating around on social media. Check it out at www.vimeo.com/152471755

Boardriders fee — win a surfboardA quick reminder from Gisborne Boardriders Club for people to pay this year’s club fees early, as everyone who has paid by the second club competition in March will go into the draw to win a free surf board.