Get ready for a thrilling tale of surfing excellence! The 2026 National Surfing Championships in Gisborne have just witnessed an extraordinary feat. Two young surfers, Jaxon Willows and Izaro Williamson-Sasia, have achieved a rare double victory, dominating both the senior and junior longboarding divisions. But here's where it gets controversial... these wins were not expected, especially in challenging 1.0m waves!
Willows, from Mount Maunganui, and Williamson-Sasia, from Taranaki, pulled off an incredible marathon effort. At just 17 and 14 years old, respectively, they first claimed their age group titles and then went on to stun the senior divisions. This achievement is so rare that it's only been done once before, by Jack Tyro of Christchurch in 2022.
In the senior men's final, Willows faced off against some longboarding legends. Australian-based Jordan Griffin gave him a run for his money, but Willows' consistent performance earned him the win. Meanwhile, ex-champions Dylan Barnfield and Daniel Procter had to settle for third and fourth place.
Williamson-Sasia's victory in the women's division was equally impressive. She scored a near-perfect 6.27 out of 10 with a beautiful right-hander, showcasing clean nose rides and swift footwork. Ariana Walker of Mount Maunganui came in second with a 10.94-point heat total.
The four titles shared by Willows and Williamson-Sasia were just a part of the 15 awards given out during an action-packed day of surfing. The swell was at its peak, and the competition was fierce.
And this is the part most people miss... the defending stand-up paddleboard champions, Karlos Aarsen and Stella Smith, repeated their success, beating their opponents at Makorori. Matt Scorringe, a veteran of the senior men's divisions, secured his second title in the over-30 category with a solid strategy of hunting left-handers and surfing downwind.
In the senior women's divisions, Lou Aitken took the over-30 title, and Claire Youmans dominated the over-40 division. The over-50 and over-60 women's divisions were won by Rachel Ormsby and Gaylene Sayer, respectively.
One of the most talked-about victories was Maz Quinn's win in the over-40 men's division. He fended off his younger brother, Jay, with a 14.27-point heat total, extending his lead with a late 7.10-point ride.
Matt Bennett dominated the over-50 men's division with a 14.0-point heat total, holding off Rick Lasch, who finished as runner-up with a 12.90-point total.
The over-60s title went to Steve "Teddy" Colbert, who last won a national title in 1984. That's a remarkable 42 years between victories for this Gisborne surfer!
Gary Stevenson claimed the over-70 men's division, and bodyboard titles went to Michael Williams and defending champion Gisiele Summerton.
Day 4 of the championships is expected to have smaller surf, but the conditions are forecast to remain clean with northwest winds. The action kicks off with the premier open women's division, followed by the open men's division.
With just under 400 entries across 28 divisions, the event features a range of disciplines, including shortboard, longboard, stand-up paddleboard, kneeboard, bodyboard, and adaptive surfing. The divisions cater to surfers from under-14s all the way up to over-70s.
Special awards at the event include the prestigious title of the top boardrider club in the nation and the Peter Byers Trophy, recognizing the surfer with the most outstanding performance throughout the week.
This national event is the first of eight around New Zealand's coastline as part of the Epic Break summer campaign, celebrating surfing talent and the vibrant surfing community.
The 2026 nationals are hosted by the Gisborne Boardriders Club and Trust Tairāwhiti, with support from event partners Neighbourhood Cantina, Chris Fougere Orthopaedics, Kiwi Holiday Insurance, ACC, and Sun Bum.
Competition runs daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the highly anticipated open men's and women's finals set for Saturday, January 17.
Get ready for some epic surfing battles! Who do you think will take home the top honors? Share your predictions and thoughts in the comments below!
