Gisborne surfer Jaxon Pardoe wins top title at primary school championships

Stylish surfing like this from local youngster Jaxon Pardoe secured him the national primary school surfing title in his age group in Gisborne at the weekend. Photo / Cory Scott

Gisborne surfer Jaxon Pardoe won the Year 7 and 8 boys’ division of the primary school champs held at Midway Beach on Saturday and Sunday.

Lenny Quinn almost made it a local double when he finished second in the Y6-and-below division, pipped by Thomas Owen, of Dunedin.

Owen’s sister, Zara Owen, also finished strongly to clinch the Y7 and 8 girls’ division with her last wave of the final.

Bay of Plenty surfer Nami Marsden won the Y6-and-below girls’ division.

The 2024 Sticky Johnson Primary School Championships, presented by Skullcandy, ended in Gisborne on Sunday under sunny skies.

Just under 100 surfers took part in an event that drew competitors from Ahipara in the north to Dunedin in the south.

For many, it was their first experience of a national event.

For both Zara Owen and Jaxon Pardoe, it was their first win in the Y7 and 8 division - the senior titles of the champs.

The finals were held in 1m to 1.5m waves, with light sea breezes for most of the event.

Pardoe reached the Y7 and 8 boys’ final with a dominant display in his semifinal.

Young Gisborne surfer Jaxon Pardoe was 'chaired' off the beach, as is tradition in surfing contests, when he won the Year 7 and 8 title at New Zealand Primary school surfing championships at Midway. Photo / Cory Scott

Scores of 7.5 and 5.5 got him into the final, where a late flurry of waves propelled him into the lead with three minutes to go.

New Plymouth surfer London Cockerill also progressed from Pardoe’s semifinal, having impressed with three heat wins in the early rounds.

Finalists from the other semifinal were Bay of Plenty duo Beau Broadhurst and Haru Marsden. Their patience and competitive experience were critical as they saw off the semifinal challenge of Jordy Elder (South Coast) and Koa Gillespie (Oakura).

Pardoe’s victory in the final delighted his home-town support. Broadhurst held on for second in a tight finish, with Marsden third and Cockerill fourth.

Gizzy grommet Jaxon Pardoe with his trophies, won in 1m to 1.5 metre waves at The Pipe on Sunday. Photo / Cory Scott

The Y7 and 8 girls put on a clinic in deteriorating conditions.

Jade Phillips, of Ahipara, narrowly missed out on victory when Zara Owen scored 7.67 on her final wave. Runner-up Phillips had been in strong form throughout the event, winning three of four match-ups.

In Sunday’s final, Charlotte Oswald (Whangamatā) finished third and Lara Lay (Mangawhai) was fourth.

The Y6-and-below boys’ division finalists all had three heat wins to their names.

Event standout Lenny Quinn, son of former junior and open women’s national champion Holly Quinn, controlled the line-up for most of the final, using his local knowledge to find some high-quality scoring waves.

But with time running out and in pulsing sets, Thomas Owen found a buzzer-beater to clinch victory in the dying seconds.

Fergus Fletcher and Arlo Scorringe, both of Bay Boardriders, finished third and fourth respectively.

In the Y6-and-below girls’ division, Nami Marsden surfed with confidence and ability beyond her years to take the win. Millie Dyck and Sieni Ryan, both of Bay Boardriders, were second and third respectively, and Lexi Sanders (Waihi Beach) was fourth.

The “top club” award went to Bay Boardriders for the fifth time in a row.

Special awards went to Maeva Dyck for standout performance of the event, Thea Tulloch for the best show of sportsmanship, Lenny Quinn for the best air (for a punt attempt in the early rounds) and London Cockerill for the best turn of the event (displayed in his final heat).