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A

thrilling surf documentary aired the end of

May starring several NZ surf beaches and

specially chosen world class watermen. And to

make it sweeter, victory in the competition went

to Kiwi Daniel Kereopa from Raglan.

An uninvited guest star was Pam, Cyclone

Pam, whose distant havoc elsewhere delivered

major surf conditions perfectly timed for

the competition at – of all places – Otama

Beach. Meanwhile they kept eye on a cyclone

developing to the south.

This new event, tltled

The Ultimate Waterman,

is planned to be an annual competition. It

THE COROMANDEL PENINSULA

S

URF SUPREME!!

COROMANDEL’S

OTAMA BEACH

CHOSEN

IN

‘THE ULTIMATE WATERMAN’

SERIES

...WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM CYCLONE PAM

Aussie Mark Visser

posted the Otama Beach shortboard

event’s only perfect 10 ride.

SURF FILM PROVES IT: NZ IS ULTIMATE SURF LOCATION!

THE ULTIMATE WATERMEN

“Driven by Subaru”

An invitational international competition

featuring 5 disciplines and 8 competitors.

New Zealander Daniel Kereopa champion.

1. Daniel Kereopa (NZL), 4836

2. Kai Lenny (HAW), 4650

3. Connor Baxter (HAW), 4625

4. Danny Ching (USA), 4499

5. Manoa Drollet (TAH), 4249

6. Mark Visser (AUS), 4061

7. Georges Cronsteadt (TAH), 3981

8. Kala Alexander (HAW), 3576

THE DISCIPLINES AND LOCATIONS

Waka Ama Endurance, Takapuna Beach

Shortboard, Otama Beach

Standup Paddleboard, Purakanui Beach

Longboard, Raglan, Manu Bay

Standup Paddleboard, 15km, Mission Bay

location. The Coromandel’s own Otama Beach!!

(We found later the organisers were sensitive

about exposing these “secret” surf spots.)

We headed over, via Facebook, to the Luke’s

Kitchen page. Avid Kuaotunu surfer Luke Reilly

must be ecstatic at this surge of surfer action

streaming through town for some of his famous

pizza (see next page).

But Luke posted that Pam dealt his pizza place

a bit of a ‘wipeout’ and they had to close. “Surf

pumped and the Coromandel turned into the

north shore of Hawaii for a day”, he later

updated. “Kitchen is back to normal now.”

And what of 2016? Event creator Surf New

Zealand plans for more! More locations, more

action, additional events...and promising even

greater thrills to come.

Photo: Cory Scott

WATCH THE SHOW HERE!

www.redbull.tv/videos/AP-1HQ2TJBXW1W11/

the-ultimate-waterman

View other photos and videos on YouTube,

Facebook (The Ultimate Waterman)

and at

www.theultimatewaterman.com.

certainly honours these top athletes, but

the stunning footage showcases NZ, its

spectacular scenery (often viewed from the air),

its surf locations, and world class ‘watermen’.

Appropriately, the video was created by the

energy drink producer Redbull Media, with ‘no

expense spared’ filming and production by

NZ’s Making Movies. Every one of the film’s 48

minutes sizzles with action as it follows the 8

competitors – reality show style – as they are

whisked away to surf locations, then battle it

out on the ocean in 5 different water events.

TUW Event Creator and Director Greg

Townsend says, “The documentary will be

on offer to a potential global audience of

4.2 million on Red Bull TV, an entertainment

website with a huge international following”.

The producers are aiming for distribution of the

programme on TV, but the film is online now.

MIGHTY CURLS AT OTAMA BEACH!

The beach announced for the February 16

Shortboard competition was “very isolated”

and had not seen waves of this power since

1997! Facebook photos showed giant surf

and perfect barrels. Where WERE these great

waves!!? It took some headknocking to get the

UW’s Facebook writers to let loose with the

Raglan’s Daniel Kereopa wins the longboard

competition at his home beach...

...and he went on

to win it ALL!

Photo: Cory Scott

Photo: Ian Trafford