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  • Kiwi's return to NZ post OIympics (Tahiti) and Paris

      19 August 2024
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    Our Kiwi Surfing Team returned home last week after their Olympic campaign in Tahiti and meeting up with the NZ Team in Paris.

    Both of our athletes placed 16th equal in Tahiti after some brave performances. Saffi tackled Teahupoo head on in the opening round and Billy stuck it to 2x World Champion Filipe Toledo in the second round, however, both coming up short in their encounters.

    The athletes moved on to Paris for the final few days of the Olympics where they took in the Games experience alongside the rest of the team.

    A huge thanks to everyone contributing to the cause. Combined with private donations, we met our goal of $8,000 which provided the team with the best possible support staff.

    And so begins the next four year cycle as we look toward LA 2028.

    Once again, thank you for being part of our Olympic journey.

    The New Zealand Surfing Team.

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  • And they are off!

      21 July 2024
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    Hi all,

    Thanks so much for all of the support for the New Zealand Surfing Team. It means the world to be backed by everyone.

    Today the team took off from Auckland and they hit Tahiti around 8:30pm tonight. We have a local Kiwi on the ground in Tahiti to support the team and they have set up a powhiri to welcome the team to French Polynesia.

    As always, travel comes with some bumps in the road. This time it was Saffi and Billy that Air Tahiti Nui didn't want to allow on the plane as they didn't have return tickets. Long story short, both Saffi and Billy are on the IOC chartered flight from Tahiti to Paris with the rest of the athletes post the surfing event. They will join up with the NZ Team and go to the closing ceremony. However, neither us nor the NZOC have any detail on the chartered flight. This didn't wash well with Air Tahiti Nui officials. Alas, some quick talking by our team manager Michelle Rellis saw both issued tickets and luckily board the flight.

    Tomorrow is the first of five scheduled training days. Twelve athletes at a time get the break to themselves for 2.5 hours each day. The schedule is shuffled around daily to let all surfers make the most of the prime conditions. The Kiwi's are paired up with the USA, Mex, Spain, Indo and Panama for the first two days then switch to join the Brazilians, Germans and Argentinians.

    The surfing kicks off on the 27th July (28th in NZ) with an improving swell forecast.

    Cheers,

    Surfing New Zealkand

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    • 22/07/2024 by Wendy

      Wishing you all nice clean surf, sunshine and optimum wellness for the games

      from a Surf lover on the relative pond of Onetangi Bay, Waiheke Island NZ