Taylor's Mistake surfer Jack Tyro won both the Open and the Juniors division this year. He also placed 2nd in the Old Mal division... that is some serious amount of heats surfed. He also happens to be the National Junior shortboard champ and National Longboard champ.... watch this 15 year old.
Westside!
The 9th annual Logger Heads long-board competition was held last Friday and Saturday. As was the case in 2021, founder and contest director Tony Baker opted to use both the west and east coast. Friday was at Bayly's Beach just north of Dargaville for a full day of heats. Then we reconvened on Saturday back at the home of the Logger Heads, Mangawhai Heads main beach.
Contest site day 1
Logging legend and scholar Daryn Mcbride westside
Once again I was very happily drafted in as the official photo taking guy. The gig is awesome, it feels good doing it to help TB, and witness the gathering grow over the years. Love being immersed in the Logger community.
Also the Troopy is used in one of the ways always planned. A big mobile camera bag, an office, lounge, cafeteria and motel. There's very few downsides to the Logger Heads aye!
Moti Proctor opened both days with awesome karakia, especially significant this year of course because it was Matariki
This years Logger Heads was the biggest so far with all the divisions filled to the brim. It meant expanding from a one day event with 9 hours of heats to two days needed with 14 hours of heats. In winter it's a big ask to get 9 hours of heats done anyway, last year the presso on the beach was in pitch black. Spreading over the two days was far more civilised... as a long-boarding gathering should be.
Defending champion Dan Proctor came ohhhh sooooo close. Dan came second to Jack by the slimiest of margins. He'll get ya next year grom!
MC Proccy... and a welcome return to political incorrectness beaming over the PA
Gathering is being used here very intentionally. There is most definitely serious competing going on, no one enters a division to lose. It is the catch ups and the korero that stoke me out... oh and of course making some good images.
Moonbob and Brownie, two of the nicest gentlemen you'll ever have the honour of meeting
TB was stoked this year. The first 8 Logger Heads all had elements of being a bit grindy. Not great waves, not the ideal venue. 9 was the ticket, no one minded the mobile call to the west, by the finals Main Beach was really quite pumping.
Tony Baker walking the talk
and predicable dad joke... TB talking the walk
Loggy heaven westside
Former Logger champ Matt Newdick pipped Jack in the old mal division and gave him a good run in the open finals too
Moonbob poised as ever in the pocket
Finals day venue, back to the source
Rhys Fitt and Matt Fergusson; two OG's of the Logger Heads since the first one
Three of the best in the business; Jack, Dan and Van Groobey All I see is Dan's water ballon ankle...bloody hate a wettie that does that
Kegg and Rhys... always watching, always judging ... Dan in this case
Yeah Wini!!! 3x Women's Champ now
Wini Paul up on the bow steering
Wini, Jay, Jess and Dharlia
Matt and Ollie whet Jack...and look at responsible Dan there, guarding Jack's prize pack from the flow, top bloke.
Jack, stoked, exhausted, soaked.
Bring on number 10.
Open Logger
1st Jack Tyro (Christchurch)
2nd Daniel Procter (Gisborne)
3rd Matt Newdick (AKL)
4th Ollie LeNoel (AKL)
Wahine Logger
1st Wini Paul (Whangarei)
2nd Jay Ryan (Gisborne)
3rd Dharlia Lynch (Muriwai)
4th Jess Costello (Mangawhai)
Junior Logger
1st Jack Tyro (Christchurch)
2nd Sol Taylor (Ohope)
3rd= Taj Robinson (Mangawhai)
3rd= Scott DeBruyn (Whangarei)
Old Mal Division
1st Matt Newdick (AKL)
2nd Jack Tyro (Christchurch)
3rd Kevin Hiha (AKL)
4th Paul Culpan (AKL)
5th Matt Ferguson (AKL)
6th Rhys Fitt (AKL)