New Zealand Trans-Tasman Surf Boat Crews Announced

Surf Life Saving New Zealand is excited and proud to announce the open and under 23 men’s and women’s crews selected at the NZ Surf Boat Trial in Whangamata last weekend.  These crews will represent New Zealand at the upcoming Trans-Tasman Surf boat Challenge in Waihi 4th February 2023, at the North Island Surf Boat Championships. 

Local and Whangamata crew sweep Steve Pipe said ‘ The conditions provided enough challenge to make crews really work for the win during the trial. We’re really proud to be selected to represent New Zealand and can’t wait to get out there and compete to do our club, our membership and New Zealand proud’. The NZ Trial followed a day of bigger surf at the Whangamata Classic where one crew unfortunately had to withdraw from the NZ trial due to injury and several other crews broke sweep oars. 

Australia and New Zealand men’s and women’s teams will contest each other in open and U23 categories over several tests.  It will make for very exciting racing that the New Zealand surf boat community can be witness and support in amongst the North Island Championships.  New Zealand Team Manager Bruce Matheson is ‘very excited and honoured to finally be able to see the Trans-Tasman happen again after missing the last three years due to Covid interruptions’. 

Open women’s crew member Tyler Lovett said ‘It’s been a long road to get to this point, especially after three years of disruption, but our crew was determined and has stuck together, committed to getting a result today and the opportunity to represent New Zealand in February next year. It’s an absolute honour’. 

SLSNZ would like to acknowledge and thank our High Performance Surf Boat Selectors - Nick Laurie, Michelle Newton and Neil Watts as well as the Surf Officials who ran the trial.

The Surf Boat Team will be managed by by Bruce Matheson and Kathryn Wright

Below is a full list of the 2023 New Zealand Surf Boat Teams: