Lenny Quinn was the best of the Under-14 boys in the final East Coast Surfriders contest of 2025 at the Creeks surf break at Makorori. Photo / Derek Fryer
Lenny Quinn was the best of the Under-14 boys in the final East Coast Surfriders contest of 2025 at the Creeks surf break at Makorori. Photo / Derek Fryer
The first Saturday of summer, known as National Surfing Day, provided excellent conditions for the Super Pointy contest at Makorori Beach last weekend.
It was the final contest of the year for East Coast Surfriders and was given the name Super Pointy by Gisborne Boys’ High School art teacher BrettSummerlee.
The event, held at the Creeks surf break, focused on the short pointy surfboards that require considerable athletic ability to ride and perform powerful technical manoeuvres.
“This contest was for those surfers still riding super pointy boards and who still get vertical on the wave,” contest director Amber Dunn said.
“We referred to them as the Super Pointycrew and wanted the younger generations, the grommets, to be able to engage with and get inspired by them.”
Former pro surfer Maz Quinn produced a series of spectacular vertical power turns as he took out the Over-40 men's division. Photo / Derek Fryer
More than 50 competitors entered the six divisions (Under-14s, U20s, Open and Over-40s) and enjoyed a full day of sunshine and clean two to four foot peaks all day.
“The clean, solid wave conditions enabled some competitors to achieve excellent wave scores,” Dunn said.
The top single wave score in a heat is a 10 and scores above 8.0 are considered excellent.
Ex-national champion Damon Gunness was in fine form in winning the open men's section of East Coast Surfriders' Super Pointy contest. Photo / Derek Fryer
Dunn said there were six excellent wave scores on the Saturday from former professionals and national championship title-winning brothers Maz and Jay Quinn, along with the talented Nick White.
“The highest wave score, a 9-point ride, went to Maz Quinn after a series of spectacular vertical power turns, while younger brother Jay got three excellent wave scores throughout the day.”
Damon Gunness, another of Gisborne’s ex-national champs, showed his class in clinching the open men’s title.
Jaxon Pardoe, who won the U14 boys’ crown at the 2025 nationals, and Lenny Quinn backed up winning streaks in the U20 and U14 divisions respectively.
The open women’s title was won by visiting surfer Abbie Cook while Lucy McDiarmid won the U20 women’s division.
Visiting surfer Abbie Cook powered her way to the open women's win and was third in the Under-20 women's division. Photo / Derek Fryer
This contest also provided local surfers a final opportunity to get “competition-ready” before the Surfing New Zealand National Surfing Championships in Tairāwhiti/Gisborne from January 11-17.
“We have many local surfers chasing national surfing titles in January and they are likely to be the ones to beat in their divisions,” East Coast Surfriders committee member Amy Spence said.
“The Quinn family – Maz, Jay, Holly and Lenny - Nick White, Damon Gunness, William Matthews, Jaxon Pardoe and Archie Alder to name a few.
“We would love to see our locals become national champions.”
East Coast Surfriders thanked all sponsors for supporting the Super Pointy contest.
