Surfing: Kiwi surfers get quick course on Piha conditions

New Zealand Under 18 surfer Alex Dive at Piha. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The New Zealand team have been making the most of their limited build-up for the World Junior Surfing Championships beginning in Piha tomorrow, taking every opportunity to familiarise themselves with the tricky local conditions.

Twelve of New Zealand's best under-18 surfers assembled in camp on Sunday night, hitting the surf for the first time yesterday morning.

With just two days to prepare for the event, the group put in some solid hours in an effort to come to grips with some of the quirks of the rugged West Coast beach.

Over the course of the week-long competition, the surfers will compete on any one of two banks at the beach.

The first platform has been set up at the south end of the beach, while the second competition area is on the northern side of Lion Rock.

New Zealand coach Larry Davis said ensuring the young competitors are comfortable with the conditions will be key to their success.

"Today was all about getting used to the conditions, some of these guys haven't surfed Piha a lot - so home advantage may not actually mean a lot," he said.

"We've only got two days to prepare as a team - so we're just trying to give them a feel for the conditions on both banks."

Many international competitors also received their first taste of the Piha surf yesterday, with the beach busy all day as the teams flocked to the area.

Hawaii's Keanu Asing, who won the Under-16 division at the 2009 World Championships in Ecuador and is looking to become the first to score the double by winning the older age-grade this year, said the conditions were mellower than expected.

"This morning was my first time I surfed Piha Beach, [the surf] was a little bit small but it was contestable," said Asing.

"So it's a new challenge for me in many ways and I'm really excited."

While the surf was fairly subdued yesterday, New Zealand team manager James Fowell said the swells were expected to pick up and provide some spectacular action on the opening days.

"It could get pretty nasty, the swell is expected to pick up, but that could be really good for us. All our kids can handle that sort of stuff."

It is the first time an event of this magnitude has been staged in Australasia in 25 years.

"It's fantastic for Auckland and for surfing in New Zealand," chief executive Greg Townsend said.

"We're excited to be given this huge opportunity to showcase our culture and beautiful environment to the world while at the same time giving New Zealanders a taste of the very best the sport of surfing can deliver."

The opening ceremony will be held at Mission Bay today, before the competition kicks off at Piha tomorrow.