Laura Griffen gets a good wave at Sandy Bay, helping her take out the Polar Bear Classic's Open Women's Division title. Photos / Malcolm Pullman www.photosnz.co.nz
Laura Griffen gets a good wave at Sandy Bay, helping her take out the Polar Bear Classic's Open Women's Division title. Photos / Malcolm Pullman www.photosnz.co.nz
Wini Paul with the Poor Knights Islands behind.
Kauai Rahui catches a wave.
Ben Porter competing in the Polar Bear Classic on his way to winning the Under 10 division.
Eight year old Alani Morse competing in the annual mid winter Polar Bear Surf Contest at Sandy Bay.
Last weekend's Polar Bear Classic surf competition broke new ground by offering equal prize money of $1000 for the winners of both the men's and women's senior competitions.
It was a first for the competition, organised by the North Coast Boardriders, but what was just as amazing was that thewinner of the men's competition - Eli Jacobs - gave his prize money straight back to the club's top two junior grommets to help with their surfing development.
Kiri Binnersley, Wini Paul and Renee Ruddell after a heat in the annual mid winter Polar Bear Surf Contest hosted by the North Coast Boardriders Club at Sandy Bay on the Tutukaka Coast.
Sandy Bay put on great surfing conditions for the competition last Saturday and Sunday, with almost 100 surfers taking part in the various divisions.
One of the competition organisers, Tia Lord, said North Coast Boardriders was leading the way with its equal prize money and hoped other competitions would follow suit.
Tai Erceg-Gray competing in the annual mid winter Polar Bear Surf Contest hosted by the North Coast Boardriders Club at Sandy Bay on the Tutukaka Coast.
Lord was amazed at the generosity of Jacobs, who as soon as he got his hands on the prize for winning the Open Men's Division gave his $1000 cheque back to the club's top two under 14 groms, Tai Erceg-Grey and Tama Kauwhata to put towards their surfing development.
''It was a huge gesture and made a big impact on everybody at the prizegiving,'' she said.
