Champion Whangamata Area School Team. L-R India Kennings, Lola Groube, Poppy Robinson, Ariella Lansdowne.
Whangamata Area School has emerged as one of the standout performers at the 2026 New Zealand School Surfing Festival, with its girls team claiming a historic national title and the boys securing a podium finish.
The festival, held at Māori Bay near Muriwai in Auckland saw Whangamatā’s girls team take out the prestigious Cranch Cup for the first time after several years of near misses. The team was locked in a tight contest with Mount Maunganui College, finishing tied on points after the round robin stages before sealing victory on aggregate scores, 51.77 to 45.33.
Led by captain India Kennings, the team of Lola Groube, Poppy Robinson and Ariella Lansdowne delivered under pressure, winning their final heat to force the tiebreak and ultimately secure the title.
Kennings said the result was especially meaningful after coming close in previous years. She credited a strong tactical approach and decisive performances in the final heat, including a crucial last wave that helped clinch the win.
The success marks a significant milestone for the school’s surfing programme and highlights the growing strength of its female surfers on the national stage.
Whangamatā’s boys team also produced a strong performance, finishing third overall in a competitive field of 21 schools. They competed against leading surf schools demonstrating depth and consistency throughout the event.
Across both divisions, Whangamatā Area School recorded one of the strongest overall results at the festival, with its second girls team also placing fourth.
The annual event, part of the national secondary schools sporting calendar, attracted close to 100 competitors and was held in testing conditions as organisers raced to complete the competition ahead of a subtropical weather system.
Images and content supplied by Surfing New Zealand
