Raglan’s talent-laden Point Boardriders Club conquered all comers at the inaugural Hurley New Zealand Club Championships completed at Whangamata over the weekend, walking away with titles in the Tag Team, Open Men’s and Over 35s divisions.
The Raglan Point Boardriders Club was established in 1963 by the original surfers of Manu Bay, and was first known as the hamilton Point Boardriders Club. Keep Reading
When we first began the surf column, we set out to shine a light on the past, present and future of surfing in Raglan. Giving a voice to the not so talked of topics and to celebrate the unsung heroes who have contributed to our town’s surf history. Over the past few months, we have been introduced to a lineup of names that anyone would be proud to surf alongside. Keep Reading
One of the phrases that has inspired Phil [McCabe]1 over the years is a saying that comes from King Tāwhiao. During his reign (r.1860-1894), King Tāwhiao acted as a peacemaker between various Tainui hapū and iwi. When he was asked about the hapū and iwi of the west coast of Whaingaroa, King Tāwhiao said, Keep Reading
It is both the love of the water and the love of the surf that has caused people to stand up and fight for it. Surfers locally, nationally and internationally voluntarily take on projects of all sizes, dedicating endless hours and energy to protect the oceans worldwide. Keep Reading
There were many instances throughout our conversation where I witnessed both Malibu’s love and passion for surfing. But one brief memory in particular has stuck with me. Keep Reading
“In my eyes, those guys are legends,” said Malibu Hamilton, a few minutes into our conversation. He was referring to the likes of Courty, Crowie, PC… a few of the names he had picked up from reading one the most recent Surf Columns. Keep Reading
It would be a disservice to the timeline of Raglan’s surf history to move on without telling a bit more about Mike Court, also known as “Courty”.
His name has been brought up since the very first conversation I had about this surf column. Crowie Sn. and I had a sit down with him, giving me a chance to finally put a face with the name. Keep Reading
The rise of surfing in New Zealand and the lack of surfboard shops at the time, meant surfers were left to their own devices when it came to making boards–forced to hone the skills for their newfound passion in their own backyards. Replicating boards brought over from Australia, Hawaii and California, teaching themselves from blueprints in International Surf magazines and books. Keep Reading
Piecing together the puzzle of Raglan’s surf history has uncovered names and stories that some thought were all but lost. Each week of searching has brought on new names and new adventures, some have added to the story, some have given it a new twist. Keep Reading