NZCT ‘Shares The Stoke’ With Gisborne Boardriders

NZCT has awarded Gisborne Boardriders Club a grant of $50,000 towards their Surfing Development Manager’s salary.

“At Gisborne Boardriders we all get to share our piece of paradise with our whanau who travel and learn together. Haukainga get to whakawhanaunga each time we come together. Our manuhiri not only teaches, but also learns from us as we all become a happier whanau under the auspicious of Kaieke Ngaru. The best thing for me was watching my girl gain confidence in the water, even though she gets a bit of a big head about it sometimes!“ - Proud Parent.

The Boardriders committee says -

Without the support of NZCT we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish everything we’ve achieved over the last five years. We’re extremely fortunate to have a wonderful manager who, with the help of many others, has transformed Gisborne Boardriders Club.

With the installation of four containers, each including twenty surfboards and sixty wetsuits, in Tokomaru Bay, Waipiro Bay, Wharekahika, and Mahia we’ve been able to make surfing more accessible throughout Tairawhiti,. Our people feel more confident around the moana, get more active, and feel more connected to each other.

Through our ‘Surf for Life’ initiative, we provide tamariki and rangatahi with a chance to play in their natural surrounds, while also learning safety and coming together as a whanau. Our events for adaptive surfers, farmers, women, and girls complement our community surfing programs. Our club has an incredibly rich history of competitive surfing, which we foster through excellent surf competitions and a strong junior development pathway.

The grant will help ensure that Gisborne Boardriders Club can continue to make surfing more accessible to tamariki and rangatahi living in the community. It will promote healthier life choices, while also providing a safe environment in which to increase physical activity and fitness levels, improving child obesity rates and mental resilience in our rangatahi. Our programs also improve participants' connection to the ocean environment, which in turn translates into a deeper appreciation of our kaitiakitanga, or guardianship.

Our goal is to grow capabilities and leadership within our local communities, so that surfing becomes sustainable well into the future. This grant will not only increase participation throughout our remote East Coast community and marae connections during our noho weekends, but also increase the quality of all our programs through upskilling workshops. It will enable us to create a pipeline of talent that will grow the programs, reach new participants, and provide succession pathways.

Gisborne Boardriders Club ensures equal opportunities for all gender, ages, and demographics. Our inclusive surf events and initiatives give everyone an opportunity to enjoy the holistic benefits of our sport. We especially want to increase the participation of women and girls, enhancing their confidence.

Quality surf coaching services are expensive. This grant will ensure that our rangatahi from our community have the chance to progress into competitive surfing and gain confidence in competitive environments. Our long term goal is to see more Tairawhiti surfers representing Aotearoa on the world stage.

For us, it's all about ‘sharing the stoke’ - that feeling of connection, exhilaration, and excitement that can even become a spiritual experience. We love to share the stoke with others through our inclusive surf events and initiatives that bring the community together. Our goal is to create more opportunities for kids and those residents of our local communities who would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn how to surf safely.