Orewa surfer Alani Morse, 9, out rode the competition to win a national title at the New Zealand Primary School Champs in Gisborne recently.
The Year 4 Orewa Primary School student won the Year 6 and Under Girls Division.
Alani has been surfing almost since she could walk and cites US surfer Bethany Hamilton as a “huge inspiration”.
Her mother, Hanna, says that although they are trying to keep the fun in surfing, Alani is a fierce competitor who is keen to sign up for more competition. Her next event is likely to be the Billabong Grom Series, where she will have to compete in the Under 14 section.
“We’re a big surfing family, not just my husband and I and our kids, but the wider family as well,” Hanna says.
Alani appears to have a natural ability to read the waves and her skill level could be attributed to the time her Dad Richard puts in to teaching her.
