The New Zealand Longboard Team has dwindled to half after the first three days of competition at the International Surfing Association World Longboard Championship held in Surf City, El Salvador. 

The World Longboard Championship is an IOC recognised event which attracts about 100 entries from over 30 countries.

The team consisting of Jack Tyro (Chch) Matt Newdick (AKL) Hannah Kohn (Gis) and Gabi Paul (Piha) participated in the opening ceremony on Saturday, where Jack Tyro was the flag bearer and Hannah Kohn poured the sand in the iconic mixing of the sand’s ceremony. 

The opening day of the event saw fun waves in the 2-3ft range with all surfers competing in the opening rounds.

 Jack Tyro started off New Zealand’s campaign surfing in Heat 8 of the Men’s Round 1.

Up against Rogelio Esquieviel Jr (PHI), Agustin Cedeño Vargas (PAN) and Dorrian Torres (CRC), Tyro showed his competitive experience at El Sunzal waiting patiently for the right wave to come his way.

With his two best scoring waves being a 5.33 and a 4.9, Tyro advanced quietly through the heat in 2nd place after Rogelio Esquieviel Jr.

Following Tyros success in the opening round Matt Newdick (AKL) took to the water, surfing in Heat 17 of Mens Round 1.

Matt surfed against Roger Casogay (PHI) and Anthony Flores (CRC) and Jaime Garcia of Guatemala.

The long, open faces of El Sunzal provided the perfect canvas for the world’s best longboarders to surf on and Newdick relished in the warm, pumping waves.

Unfortunately, however, his classic style, accompanied with a 4.63 and 4.17 wasn’t enough to topple Florres and Casogay which saw Matt relinquished to the Repechage round.

The opening round of the women has also run with Hannah Kohn surfing against 2 other women in Heat 4.

In what turned out to be a close finish it was Italy’s Ginger Caimi, the youngest competitor in the event at 11 years old who won the heat holding off both Kohn and Atalanta Batista of Brazil.

Kohn found 5 waves during her heat however only managing to capitalise on one solid right hander landing her a 4.93, her back up of 2.73 was not quite enough to see her through so she was relegated to the repechage round.

With 48 per cent female participation among 129 competitors, the 2024 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Longboard Championship has set the record for women’s participation with 48 per cent female surfers out of 129 competitors.

The record number of female surfers put longboard’s growth and progress on display, stepping into the spotlight with top performances and high scores.

Apart of the action was New Zealand’s own Gabi Paul who in challenging conditions earnt herself a 2nd place finish with a 4 and 4.3 behind French surfer Zoé Grospiron.

Unfortunately, in the three women heat this result saw her relegated to Repechage 2.

On day 3 A complete day of repechage rounds whittled down the record number of competitors at the 2024 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Longboard Championship.

The elimination rounds created a newfound tension and pressure that brought out timely performances from the competitors, surfing to stay alive in the competition.

Forty-eight surfers were eliminated through the Men’s and Women’s Repechage Rounds 1 and 2 with 2 kiwis unfortunately exiting the competition.

Matt Newdick again took to the water in Heat 8 of Repechage 1 with a newfound energy putting 5 scoring waves on the board including a 6.4, 7.4 and a 5.1 in quick succession.

It was the confidence boost that he was looking for and his momentum continued throughout the heat allowing him to hold off Raimundo Arriagada of Chile and placing him just behind Mexican Jonathan Melendres.

Matt's newfound confidence rolled into the next heat where he used perfect waves selection to pick off 2 of the best waves of the heat scoring a 6.1 and 5.3 ensuring him a spot in the 3rd round of Repechage where he will surf in heat 6.

In what was to be a wave starved end to the event Hannah Kohn surfed her final heat in Repechage 1 of the women putting just 2 waves on the board with a 4 point total, Gabi Paul  in contrast surfed four waves however was eliminated in 4th place with a heat total of 8.

Eventual heat winner Jazmine Dean of Puerto Rico dominated throughout the heat with a total of 13 and 5 waves.

New Zealand’s hopes now remain with Jack Tyro who continues in the main round after earlier dominant performances. Matt Newdick continues to surf the repechage pressure cooker rounds in the hopes of arriving back into the main round.

Day 4 will see both Jack Tyro surfing in the men’s main round Heat 2 and Matt Newdick surfing in the Repechage Round 3 Heat 6.  New Zealand currently sits in 16th position at the time of writing.

To watch the Kiwis in action and for all draws, results, and schedules head to the ISA Website 

Complete event write-ups, results, surfer ratings and images from the event can be viewed at Surfing New Zealand. And the ISA Website 

-Surfing NZ.