Surfing: Magic board casts teen's winning spell

Auckland's teenage surfing sensation Elliot Paerata-Reid has enjoyed a golden couple of months earning an armload of trophies. Photo / Supplied

Auckland surfer Elliot Paerata-Reid's favourite place in the world is out in the waves.

It is not hard to see why. The 15-year-old, who spends 30 hours per week in the ocean, has enjoyed a golden couple of months.

Every time he has zipped up his wetsuit and hit the surf lately the trophies have followed.

In March he won two local titles on his way to being named as one of 12 surfers (a member of the under-16 boys team - four surfers) who will represent New Zealand in the 2011 Quiksilver ISA World Surfing Championship held in Peru from May 21-29.

He won the Maz Quinn Quiksilver King of the Groms in Gisborne to win a trip to France in September where he will surf against 15 other elite junior competitors from around the world (Paerata-Reid won the KOTG event last year and placed 9th in the world). He placed first in his division winning him a place in the VQS World Champs in Newport Beach, California from May 13 to 15.

Last year Paerata-Reid became one of only a few surfers who have represented New Zealand at the age of 14 - the others are his good friend and mentor Ryan Hawker (Piha) and Johnny Hicks (Gisborne).

It has been a whirlwind ride and now his favourite place has become his ticket to see the world.

The laid back teenager, who began boogie-boarding aged 2, surfing at 4 and surfing competitively at 10, is living the dream of an international surfer.

"I am lucky and excited that I have been chosen for the NZ World Juniors," said Paerata-Reid. "I have also won trips to France and America so I will really get the feel of competing overseas."

He put his current form down to a couple of new surfboards.

"Sometimes you just get a board that feels like it's magic and I've got one of those at the moment. Also I have been training hard and our New Zealand team coach has given me things to work on."

Paerata-Reid's success has impressed Surfing New Zealand's media and event manager Ben Kennings and development manager Lee Ryan.

"Elliot is full of potential and he backs it up with unlimited energy and a confidence that many young surfers lack," said Kennings. "That is what sets him apart from most and gets us excited on his future in surfing."

"He is tactically very good," said Ryan. "He knows how to put a heat together and stays focused under pressure."

His confidence and focus comes from growing up riding one of the wildest breaks in New Zealand.

"Piha has really big surf and conditions change a lot so it means I can adapt to different conditions and I am not afraid of big waves so that's all good," he said.

There is a talented group of young surfers rising in New Zealand - a group of seven in the under 16 ranks who are all capable of winning.

"So it means it is never easy and you are always trying to lift your game."

In New Zealand the key to improving homegrown talent requires regular international competition.

"Our top surfers often compete against their same opponents day in, day out," said Kennings. "To compete internationally opens their eyes to a much bigger pool of surfers where they become 'just one of the pack' and that pushes them to work harder."

Ryan believed Paerata-Reid has the ability to go professional.

"The next couple of years will be an important part of his surfing.

"As he moves up the age groups it will be interesting to see how he approaches surfing against the older guys.

"He needs to improve on his speed and power but this will come with maturity."

The focus is on the Worlds in Peru and there are high expectations for the Rip Curl New Zealand Surfing Team.

"They placed seventh in 2010 and their highest placing was fourth in 2007. We feel that if the team surfs to their ability they should finish inside the top six nations in the world," said Kennings.

"I know that Elliot was not entirely happy with his result at the World Junior Championships in 2010 so that will be something that he will want to make amends for.

"He has enough natural talent to be the best. But other attributes such as his determination and confidence are what give him the edge over his opponents. I expect those attributes could see him rank as the top boy in the Under-16 division if he has a good event."

Paerata-Reid often stays up late to watch online his heroes Jay Quinn, Billy Stairmand and Ricardo Christie competing around the globe and he has a number of local mentors.

He surfs two hours before and after school, and four to five hours a day in the weekend.

It totals at least 30 hours in the ocean every week and leaves little time for anything else.

"Surfing is pretty much my main thing but I play golf with my grandpa and even though he is 75 he is very competitive and hard for me to beat."

With every trophy his love for surfing is only getting stronger.

"I love it because Mum can't get out there and make me do the dishes," he laughed.

Surfing

Under-18 boys team

Tane Wallis

Ben Poulter

Todd Doyle

Joe Moretti

Under-18 women

Alexis Cecilia Poulter

Jayda Martin-Fitzharris

Grace Spiers

Ella Williams

Under-16 boys

Elliot Paerata-Reid

Dune Kennings

Paul Moretti

Adam Grimson