Maya Mateja Archives - New Zealand Surf Journal

Five Minutes With 15-Year-Old National Champion Maya Mateja

Derek MorrisonFeb 28, 2024March 25, 20240

At 15, Maya Mateja became one of the youngest surfers to win the Open Women’s title when she won the 2024 New Zealand Surfing Championships. We catch up with the Raglan-based phenom to find out how she did it and why she won’t be surfing for Team New Zealand. With...

40 Frames: NZ Surf Nats The Grand Finale

Derek MorrisonFeb 28, 2024July 25, 20240

Finals Day for the Open Men and Women goes down to the wire at the 2024 New Zealand Surfing Champs. No one in the packed crowd on the steps of St Clair Beach could have predicted the Open Men’s Final would boil down to a tie break between defending Champion...

Daniel Farr and Maya Mateja Win 2024 Surf Nats

Derek MorrisonJan 14, 2024April 9, 20240

Taranaki’s Daniel Farr and Raglan 15-year-old Maya Mateja win the 2024 New Zealand Surfing Champs held in Dunedin over the past week. An explosive final day of the 2024 National Surfing Championships has seen Taranaki surfer Daniel Farr claim his second national title by the closest margin in the history...

40 Frames: Billabong Grom Series, Whangamata

Derek MorrisonFeb 17, 2021July 25, 20240

With the tail-end of a cyclone swell to stir things, up the 2021 Billabong Grom Series, held at Whangamata at the weekend, had it all. From pumping waves right through to onshore mush. Here’s 40 frames that capture the spirit of it all.

Robinson, Shewry Claim Wins At Whangamata Grom Series

Derek MorrisonFeb 16, 2021May 3, 20210

Whangarei’s Tom Robinson broke a two-year win drought over the weekend with his female counterpart Ariana Shewry, of Taranaki getting her first national event win in four years at the Whangamata grom comp. The two surfers claimed the Under 18 Divisions of the second event of the Billabong Grom Series...

Event Wrap: Sticky Johnson 2020 Primary School Champs

Derek MorrisonSep 27, 2020July 25, 20240

The rush to defeat the storm bearing down on New Zealand this weekend, made for an action packed day of surfing at the Sticky Johnson 2020 Primary School Championships presented by Skullcandy on Saturday (26th September). The champs, held at Makorori Beach, Gisborne, was the first national event since the...