Gisborne’s Surf for Life honoured at national awards for community impact

Gisborne Boardriders' Surf for Life initiative, supported by Te Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti, was a finalist in the Community Impact category at the NZ Sport and Recreation Awards in Wellington last week. At the awards are (from left) Regan Fairlie, Shyla-Drew Taiapa, Harry Grant McClutchie, Stefan Pishief (behind), Flo Bub, George Busby, Te Waiotu Fairlie (front), Dan Croskery, Holly Thorpe, Darryl Crawford, Lillian May Ward (front) and Steve Berezowski.

The Surf for Life – East Coast initiative was a finalist in Community Impact category at the 2025 NZ Sport and Recreation Awards held in Wellington last week.

Led by Gisborne Boardriders Club, the aim of Surf for Life is to empower tamariki, rangatahi and whānau through surfing and community wellbeing.

“Making the finals at a national level is true testament to the collective mahi poured into the kaupapa over the last few years,” Gisborne Boardriders Club surfing development manager Flo Bub said in a release from Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti.

The programme includes surf hubs and the Ngāti Porou Primary School Surfing Competition, aimed at fostering confidence and connection.

While it did not win at the awards, making the finalists was “an incredible honour” that acknowledged the hard mahi of the communities that drive this kaupapa, Bub said.

Gisborne Boardriders Club was the driving force behind the kaupapa – designing the programme, mentoring local coaches and embedding surfing as a practice of whanaungatanga and wellbeing, he said.

“With a shared ‘why’ that’s bigger than any one of us, we’ve seen what’s possible when communities come together with purpose.

“A heartfelt thank you to every supporter, coach and funder who has backed Surf for Life – East Coast.

“It’s been incredible to witness the energy and aroha across Tairāwhiti, creating something truly special.”

Bub said it was a proud and emotional moment being at the awards alongside other local champions and supporters.

“While we didn’t take home the award this time, the real win is in the waves – in the confidence of our tamariki, the joy of our whānau and the strength of our community.”

Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti chief executive Stefan Pishief said they were proud to stand alongside Gisborne Boardriders Club and the East Coast communities in celebrating this recognition.

“This isn’t just about awards – it’s about the tamariki who are now confident in the water, the parents who are learning to surf alongside their kids, and the thriving connection to identity and place being nurtured through this kaupapa,” Pishief said.

“At its heart, Surf for Life – East Coast is about community empowerment."

From its origins in noho marae and local wānanga to the installation of four surf hubs located at Mahia, Tokomaru Bay, Waipiro Bay and Wharekahika, which are equipped with wetsuits and boards, the programme has grown into a permanent fixture on the East Coast.

Tamariki surf as part of their kura week.

Whānau attend weekend surf schools. Local champions – many trained through noho and mentoring – lead sessions and pass on their knowledge to the next generation.

One of the most powerful moments has been the creation of the Ngāti Porou Primary School Surfing Competition, “shaped by the voices of tamariki who wanted to showcase their skills and pride”, the release said.

It’s now a flagship event uniting communities, breaking down intergenerational barriers and shining a light on rangatahi leadership and hauora.

Tairāwhiti was also on display at the awards as part of Holly Thorpe and Josie McClutchie’s Out of the Darkness photo exhibition that was part of the Sport in a Changing Climate research symposium held in Gisborne earlier this year.