Great day for Saffi and Finn Vette

SIBLING POWER: Finn and Saffi Vette won the under-14 boys’ and u16 girls’ divisions at the National Scholastic Surfing Championships at Makorori yesterday. Now they are looking ahead to the national championships. Picture by Liam Clayton

THE Vette family yesterday surfed to victory in the National Scholastic Surfing Championships at Makorori Beach, 10 kilometres from Gisborne. Saffi Vette, 15, won the under-16 girls’ division while younger brother Finn, 13, won the u14 boys’.

Their contributions boosted the title challenge of the Gisborne team, who finished runners-up, a whisker behind top team Bay of Plenty.

Finals day offered surfers head-high waves and offshore/cross-shore winds at Makorori. Gisborne Girls’ High School student Saffi took a close final to retain the title she won last year.

“It was a tough final; I took 15 minutes to get my first wave,” she said.

Saffi focused on her backhand in the final, chasing some left-handers and finding several good waves. She won by 0.3 of a point.

Not to be outdone, Gisborne Boys’ High School student Finn achieved his first national win.

“I have been working hard on my surfing so I am stoked. We got some good waves in the final.”

Saffi and Finn are now looking forward to the national championships in Gisborne in January. Saffi will also seek more overseas experience, building on her 11th-place finish at the ISA World Junior Championships in Japan last month.

“It was really tough in Japan, but a great learning experience,” she said.

For next year, she plans to surf in some u18 pro junior events in Australia, and even some World Surf League Qualifying Series events.

Surfing mum Vanessa Vette said she was “stoked” about her children’s achievements.

“Saffi has had a lot of success, and Finn has worked hard so it is nice to see him get some rewards.”

Gisborne Boardriders Club surfing development manager Kelly Ryan was thrilled for his team.

“We came fifth last year, so to come second, just behind Bay of Plenty, is a massive effort. We have a young, new team and it gives us something to work towards for next year.”

The team had been training each Sunday for the past 10 weeks.

Other Gisborne surfers to make finals were George Zame, 16, and Brie Ryan, 15, in the u18 longboard division, and Hannah King in the u14 girls’ division.

Surfing New Zealand ran the scholastics and last weekend’s primary school championships, and has announced both events will be in Gisborne again next year, the fourth year in a row. Kelly Ryan said it was an easy decision for Surfing New Zealand to make.

“Out of the whole country, Gisborne gets the best waves in spring. Everybody loves coming here. It has been pumping for the past three weeks.”

The next major competition will be the National Surfing Championships in Gisborne from January 7 to 13. Ryan said that after much coaching with the junior surfers this year, local mentors would try to boost Gisborne’s talent in the open and age-group categories.

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