The Local Rag caught up with the talented Luca Thompson following his win at the Sticky Johnson Primary School Champs presented by Skullcandy completed at Gisborne last month.
When did you first start surfing and who taught you?
Dad tried getting me in the surf when I was really young, but I had eczema and the salt water would burn me under my wetsuit. We would get to the bottom of the hill and after 2 minutes I would have to rip my wetty off and wash off the salt. I got good at skateboarding and building sand castles, while Jahmin and dad would surf. Luckily my eczema stopped when I turned 7 and I’ve been surfing since then.
Is surfing in your whānau?
Mum and Dad love the beach. My Nan started surfing in the sixties in Taranaki. Her Dad would let her wag school if the waves were good, as long as she did some school work in between surfs. Nan used to wear a woollen Jersey to keep warm in the water. When she got school Cert. her Dad bought her a spring suit. I took this year off school and did the same. An hour and a half a day of Literacy, numeracy and writing then surf. I have never had a new wetsuit so maybe Dad will buy me one if I get my credits in year 11.
What do you love about surfing and where do you prefer to surf?
How can you not love spending the day at Manu Bay? The combo of the sun, the oxygen in the water and the challenges you conquer in the surf all lead to a good day out. It really brings people together out at Manu Bay and I am lucky to call it my local.
I want to acknowledge my Tupuna Wetini Mahikai who, in the 1800s with the Kereopa and Honuku whānau, realised that selling land to the British was inevitable. Rather than part with coastal land, they sold blocks inland and kept the coastal land. This is the reason that the land from the skate park (Papahua) out past Wainui and out to Manu Bay is not covered in houses and ugly buildings like other popular surf spots.
How have you performed in comps since you started competing?
I only started surfing in comps last year and since then have managed to make it into finals rounds several times but haven’t been able to pull off a win until now. Highlights of the year were coming 4th place in the Nationals U14 and making the quarter finals in the Rip Curl Pro Open men’s division here at my home break.
Do you have goals for the future?
Keep training hard and learning from our local legends. I want to win the U14 Māori Nationals over Labour weekend and also the Nationals in Dunedin. I’d love to get a sponsor now that I have matured a bit and shown that I can beat the best in my age group.
Thompson and Morse Take Two Titles West
The Raglan duo of Luca Thompson and Alani Morse have claimed the two major titles at the Sticky Johnson Primary School Champs presented by Skullcandy completed at Gisborne last month.
Morse defended her Year 7&8 Girls Division title at the event while it was a first win for Thompson in the Year 7&8 Boys Division after having finalled at several events over the past 12 months but never stepped up to the top of the podium.
In the Year 6 and Below Divisions it was Bay of Plenty surfers Ffeon Clifford and Millie Dyck of Mount Maunganui that claimed the titles. The two surfers helped Bay Boardriders to a fourth straight club title at the event.
Almost 100 enthusiastic young surfers took part in the event with participants from Ahipara to Dunedin in attendance, having a blast and for many, enjoying their first experience at a national event.
The event finished in small 0.5m – 1.0m waves at Northern Makorori Beach with persistent rain and moderate onshore winds. The final day was a stark contrast to the perfect conditions and fine weather on the first day of the event.
Thompson went to his backhand in the final for some explosive turns to narrowly defeat Sol Fritchley (Mnt) 11.67 to 11.57 points. Earlier Thompson had only snuck into the semifinals on a count back after making a slow start to the round robin phase. Local surfers Jaxon Pardoe and Harry McFarlane finished in third and fourth respectively.
Morse clinched her final with a 16.0 point heat total to sweep aside her opponents. She had a tough battle all event with Lola Groube (Pau), winning three of four match ups. In the final Groube simply couldn’t find a second good wave needing a near perfect nine point ride to catch Morse. Despite the two surfers participating in the Primary School Champs, they are indeed part of the New Zealand Junior Surfing Team that heads to Brazil for the World Junior Champs in November. In today’s final, Isla McKay finished third and Ella McConnell finished in fourth.
