Thank you Friends & Family
30 January 2026
Thank you all for your support in getting Poppy to Peru December 2025! She had the most amazing experience and is amped on what 2026 holds. On arrival she found it tricky practising before the comp, with more than 400 athletes surfing at the same beach, practising for their heats. She managed to catch a few waves and sussed out the competition venue, ready for her first heat.
Round 1 saw her competing against a fellow kiwi but saw them both progress to the next round. The waves were pretty solid which was great for Poppy as that’s what she's used to in Piha. Round 2 saw smaller conditions, but Poppy's highest wave score of the event seeing her advance to the next round. By round 3, less than half of the 12 strong Kiwi team was still standing. Round 3 saw Poppy competing against the same teammate from round 1 - frustrating to say the least and sadly saw her place 3rd by less than 1 point to her teammate ending her campaign for this event. Watching this live in the early hours of the morning was nailbiting, but fantastic to see our little girl on the world stage!
All in all Poppy finished 25th out of 144 U16 girls in the world, improving from last year’s 33rd place in the U18s. Her result also helped the NZ team place 10th in the world, their best result in a decade. She's stoked with this result, but obviously hungry for more.
Ben and I are incredibly grateful for everyone's support in helping our little girl fulfill her dream in representing Aotearoa on the world stage.