Raglan upbeat as World Surf League NZ Pro nears finale

Sunday, 24 May 2026

Spirits remained high in Raglan on Sunday as the World Surf champs edged closer to its finale, with many people hopeful the event will return next year.

The second-to-last day of the World Surf League Corona Cero NZ Pro was held after a delay of several hours, with competitors taking to the water for the mens quarter finals and women’s semi finals in the afternoon.

The event had been set to kick off from 9.30am, but the less-than-ideal conditions at Manu Bay meant it did not begin until after 1pm.

Those who spoke to the Waikato Times were not bothered by the delay, and the mood of those in Raglan was upbeat and excited.

Australian surf coach Nathan Hedge was among those who had taken to the water ahead of the competition.

He said it was good to experience the conditions himself and relay them to the competitor he coached, Morgan Cibilic. On Sunday morning, it was slow with some “speed bumps”.

It was great to be back in Raglan, and he hoped the competition was inspiring young surfers, he said.

A former pro, he had ranked in the world top 10 in the early 2000s and had surfed at Raglan in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The locals were friendly and there was plenty to do on the off days, and he was crossing his fingers the event would return to the town next year, he said.

This comes after Andrew Stark, president of WSL APAC (Asia-Pacific), signalled a possible return of the event to Raglan next year.

Jordan Hart and Sydney Corry had travelled to Raglan from New Plymouth to take in the event, and Sunday was their first day in town.

Hart said it was a nostalgic location, as it was the first reef break he had ever surfed at age 12.

It was great to come back to the spot he had visited so often as a teen, and although he had not yet seen any professional surfers compete, he was looking forward to seeing them in action later — and next year if possible.

Raglan locals Fleur Rubingh and Sebastian Mueller were enthusiastic about the event, although conditions on Sunday morning were “very unlucky”.

However, they had already gone along to see the surfers earlier in the month, as the competition officially started on May 15.

Mueller said there was a “super impressive” variety of tricks on display. For example, not many local surfers were able to get airborne and then land again.

“It’s pretty amazing to see the top guys perform on the waves and surf the waves in a way that we haven't seen before.”

Rubingh was impressed by how well the event had come together.

Some people had been concerned there would be negative impacts on the environment and infrastructure, but this did not seem to be the case — it was organised better than Soundsplash, she said.

It would “absolutely” be good to have the event return next year. Her one recommendation was for more food stands, as the large crowds meant there was high demand.

Casa Loco owner Kate Burcham said it had been hard to know in advance what to expect, as the surf champs were new to Raglan.

The taco trailer had been “slammed” with customers last week, although it was quieter on Sunday. She estimated they had served about 500 people so far.

It was great to see the turnout, and she also hoped the competition would return next year.

Other businesses that spoke to the Waikato Times were also positive about the impact of the event.

Raglan Kayak & Paddleboard owner Stephen Reid said business was busier than usual as the season neared its close, with tours set to end at the end of the month.

Among those he had taken out were WSL workers and a Brazilian documentary crew covering competition locations.

The event seemed well organised and was a “well oiled machine”, he said.

Raglan Backpackers manager Amy Paul said it was normally very quiet at this time of year. For example, last year there were about 25 people staying.

The competition had brought a boost in numbers that was a great way to end the summer, she said.

“We’re full house — there are about 50 people staying,” she said.

Among the backpackers who had come to Raglan especially to look at the event was French tourist Romane Bihorean.

She was new to the sport and had tried it for the first time while in New Zealand. It was especially inspiring to see the women compete, she said.