Mount Clubbie Celebrates 25 Years of Oceans Junior Festivals

For the 24^th time in 25 years, Mount Maunganui’s Greg Rieger is pulling out his favourite jandals to officiate this year’s Oceans Festival at Mount Maunganui from 20–23 February.

New Zealand’s biggest junior lifesaving event, Oceans Festival of Junior Surf Lifesaving will see 726 young people from 48 surf lifesaving clubs participate in a range of sport surf lifesaving events ranging from beach flags to water rescues.

Much has changed in New Zealand in 25 years, but what hasn’t, is the excitement and energy as young people from all over New Zealand come together to celebrate and improve their budding surf lifesaving skills.

Greg’s passion for the festival hasn’t changed either.

“I’ve only missed one Oceans Festival for my parents’ wedding anniversary,” he says.

“The young people coming to Oceans are the surf lifeguards who will be keeping us safe in the years to come. This is where a lifelong passion starts and where they learn the skills and resilience that will ultimately save lives.”

Surf lifesaving is a family affair for the Riegers. Greg, his wife Donna and children Hamish, Oliver, Fergus and Eliza-Jane have all been active participants in Mount Maunganui’s surf lifesaving community.

In 2017 Greg was named Surf Official of the Year in the Surf Life Saving Awards of Excellence and in 2024, he was awarded the Prime Minister’s Scholarship by High Performance Sport New Zealand. Prime Minister’s Scholarships support athletes, coaches, officials and support team staff to gain educational or professional development while continuing in sport.

But it’s the community that keeps Greg coming back.

“Who else can say the athletes in their sport also save lives?”