Torquay surfer Rori Reyntes says a good nose ride feels like flying.
Photo: ROBIN MARTIN / RNZ
Fresh off the back of the World Surf League Championship Tour stop in Raglan this month, the surfing community’s focus is turning to Fitzroy Beach in New Plymouth where the Egmont Honey Pro is bringing top-level longboarding to Taranaki.
A surfing style often associated with older athletes, this weekend’s world tour qualifying event features a healthy contingent of teenagers.
Longboarding was the classical surf format featuring boards nine-foot plus in length and instantly familiar moves such as the ‘hang ten’, where surfers perch perilously at the front of their boards.
Gold Coast surfer Luana Matthies, 15, is the number one ranked woman in Australia / Oceania, but she’s far from the only teen in this weekend’s line up.
Izaro Williamson-Sasia – also 15 – is New Zealand’s under-18 and Open Women’s champion.
Visiting Torquay surfer Rori Reyntjes, 18, and Fitzroy local Izaro Williams-Sasia, 15, are among the youngsters competing at the Egmont Honey Pro longboarding competing in New Plymouth over the weekend.
Photo: ROBIN MARTIN / RNZ
The Fitzroy local explained the attraction of longboarding.
“I started off on a short board, but I just found longboarding way more fun and just like more of a challenge – for me it’s more of a challenge – and I just love the community in longboarding as well.
“Yeah, I’ve just always loved it. Once I picked up on it I was just, yeah, a longboarder.”
Williamson-Sasia’s got the moves.
“You need to ride the wave with style, flow, and the things that score the most are nose-riding in critical parts of the wave, especially hang tens, also drop knees are good too. Pretty much that and riding the wave nicely all the way to the end.”
Mum had a bit to do with Torquay surfer Rori Reyntjes getting into longboarding.
“Our local club at home – South Coast Longboarders – is really great. We got like heaps of fun club comps and my mum was big part of it… I loved going out in the surf and surfing with them and I just really liked the community.”
The 18-year-old said there’s little that could compare.
“I really love how you can flow with the wave, it’s super fun and if you do get a good nose ride it just feels like you are flying.”
Christchurch surfer Jack Tyro is competing in the men’s open division.
Christchurch surfer Jack Tyro says longboarding is about working with the waves.
Photo: ROBIN MARTIN / RNZ
The 19-year-old reckoned he had little choice but to pick up longboarding.
“It’s kind of funny because being in Christchurch it’s normally one to two foot waves or it’s flat half the time. I was originally a short boarder, but there just wasn’t enough waves, so started longboarding so I could catch some more.
“So, as much as it might be seen as an old man’s sport it’s pretty much if there’s not much in way of waves get a longboard.”
Jack Tyro surfing at Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic on September 20, 2025 at Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia.
Photo: Ed Sloane/World Surf League/Supplied
He loved it really.
“With short boarding you’re trying to make something out of a wave whereas with longboarding you’re trying to go with the wave.
“It’s less about trying to do the most powerful biggest turn, it’s more about the turn you can do in a certain section [of the wave] and it’s more how someone does something rather than what’s actually been done.”
At 25, Noosa surfer Emma Perrier was feeling her age a touch, but not ready for the veteran tag just yet.
Noosa surfer and former world tour competitor, Emma Perrier, 25, says longboarding is for life.
Photo: ROBIN MARTIN / RNZ
“I still feel quite young, but yeah I get it.
“I was on the [world] tour back in 2024 and I’m trying to get back on it. I think I have to win here in order to qualify, so no pressure.”
She said longboarding was for life.
Emma Perrier surfing at the Abu Dhabi Longboard Classic on September 28, 2024.
Photo: Beatriz Ryder/World Surf League/Supplied
“I just think it’s just the slower pace of everything, you know, you don’t really hassle in the water you just cruise and I really like the traditional aspect of longboarding and you can be whatever age, you can be surfing your best at 60 or 20 and anyone can surf between and you’re always incrementally getting better.”
Community was a big deal for her too.
“I joined a longboarding club at Evans Bay back home as an eight-year-old and it became family and a community to me and as I’ve gotten older the majority of my really good friends I’ve met through longboarding, some through competing and some from being in the line up.
“And it’s pretty special to all love a sport, a hobby as much as we do and there’s nothing better than sharing waves with all your friends out in the water.”
The Egmont Honey Pro – and associated Taranaki Longboard Classic events – enter the water at Fitzroy Beach from 7.30am on Saturday – in what was expected to be great conditions.
The competition would end on Sunday.
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