Parking passes and checkpoint entry to Piha Pro surf competition

Kelly Slater will compete in the inaugural Piha Pro. Photo / Getty Images

An Auckland west coast beach will be shut off for a week to those without parking passes to handle crowds flocking to one of the country's biggest ever surfing competitions.

The Piha Pro, taking place over March 16-22, is one of eight venues for the World Surf League's new Challenger Series, and will see top surfers from across the globe battling it out at the black-sand beach break in West Auckland.

On Sunday it was announced 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, widely regarded as the greatest surfer of all time, would be competing at the inaugural event, which runs a week before the Championship Tour season-opener on the Gold Coast.

Organisers are expecting thousands of spectators, generating an estimated $1.5 million for the local economy, with further potential tourism benefits expected from the 600 million people watching on TV and online.

But the hordes making their way along the only road in - which is narrow, steep and winding - to witness the spectacle and limited parking beachside, are creating logistical headaches for organisers.

Event director Chris Simpson said the solution they'd arrived at was offering daily pre-booked parking permits to visitors, with a checkpoint on the main road in just after the turn-off to Karekare beach.

"The limited parking is providing a challenge, and we have implemented these measures to guarantee people spaces as long as they book ahead, rather than having people go all the way down and get stuck for hours.

"We have been in dialogue with police and Auckland Transport, and feel this is the best way from a health and safety perspective."

Residents would be provided a limited number of permits for themselves and guests, and organisers would be working with the community, local businesses and other services such as for emergencies to ensure ease of access.

Karekare, Anawhata and Piha Rd residents outside the managed access point would get two parking permits.

There would be about 600 visitor passes, available to purchase through iTicket for $20 per vehicle, and if they were exhausted there would be a park-n-ride system available from Parrs Park in Glen Eden.

Visitor parking would be at the domain and Mill Camp Site at the end of Glen Esk Rd.

"The only limit is on parking spaces, not people, so we encourage everybody to car pool," Simpson said.

There would be no way in without a pass, meaning those looking to visit Piha but not for the surfing would need to consider another west coast beach if they didn't want to purchase a pass.

"There will be signs before Piha making it very clear about the managed access, and mentioning if you want to go to a west coast beach then try some of the other ones - such as Muriwai or Bethells - during that week."

Simpson said they expected the event interest to grow even further with more big announcements coming this week.

Fiona Anderson, who runs Piha Campground, said the phone had been going non-stop since the news Kelly Slater would be competing was broken by the Herald on Sunday.

"It's incredibly exciting, but we are full up."

All of the local businesses and organisations had been working closely with the organisers to ensure the event ran smoothly, she said.

"We want to make sure it is an epic event and they come back the full three years."

The parking plan was a good solution to a challenging situation, but she said she hoped on the final weekend of the event there would be enough capacity through the park-n-ride system to ensure nobody missed out.

The Piha Pro

The Piha Pro will see the WSL return to New Zealand shores for the first time in more than five years, with its last event a women's 6000-rated Qualifying Series (QS) event held in Taranaki.

Running just a week before the elite Championship Tour's first stop on the Gold Coast, organisers are hoping to attract some of the biggest names in the sport.

Along with 11-time men's world champion Kelly Slater, inspirational Hawaiian surfer Bethany Hamilton has already been confirmed. Seven-time women's world champion Stephanie Gilmore has also expressed interest.

Piha's own Elliot Paerata-Reid, the national senior men's champion, and Mt Maunganui's Kehu Butler have been given wildcards to the event.

Further New Zealanders could gain entry, with Ricardo Christie and Paige Hareb the most likely, having spent last season on the Championship Tour.

The last major international surfing event held in Piha was the ISA World Junior Championships, which saw current world champion Gabriel Medina take out the u18 boys division.