Surfing title prepares Parry for the worlds

Former South African surfer Justin Parry shreds the lip of a Gisborne wave. The Aucklander won his second NZ open title here at the weekend narrowly beating defending champion Dave Mitchell of Queenstown in small clean surf at Tolaga Bay. File picture

Aucklander Justin Parry gained a confidence booster leading into the world championships, when he won the 2024 New Zealand waveski surfing open title at Gisborne over Easter.

He beat defending titleholder Dave Mitchell in clean conditions at Tolaga Bay.

World junior champion in his teens, Parry is a masters (over 35) age group competitor these days.

Runner-up Mitchell, of Queenstown, is the country’s most titled waveski surfer, many times national champion and with a world

No. 2 ranking in his CV history. He has been a tough nut to crack across his many appearances at Gisborne-hosted NZ contests over almost three decades of competing here.

Stormy southerly sea conditions led contest directors Mitchell and Gisborne’s Steve Gibbs to move proceedings to the shelter of Tolaga Bay.

There, Parry won the final by just half a point as he made the best of brisk but uncrowded 2-3ft offshore conditions.

It was his second NZ open title, both won on Easter safaris to Gisborne.

It will be a homecoming for the expat South African in June as he represents New Zealand at the world titles at the famous Nahoon Reef, in South Africa. He will compete in the masters age and open men divisions.