Surfing New Zealand completed the final Have a Go Surfing Day last week spending three days in the Hawkes Bay thanks to Sport Hawkes Bay and Kiwi Sport.

The programme was delivered to six schools with over 140 Primary and Intermediate School students taking part.

Parkvale School, Hastings Intermediate, Taikura Rudolf Steiner, Heretaunga Intermediate, Waimarama and Hereworth Intermediate all took part in the activities which included a two hour lesson from qualified surf instructors.  The lesson included land based activities where the students learnt about water safety and correct surfing techniques before they hit the waves to put everything into practice.

“The students had a ball last week” commented Surfing New Zealand Development Manager Lee Ryan.  “We got some really nice weather on two of the three days and with the water warming up a bit the students got right into it.  We even had three of them up at the same time on just the one board.”

The Hawkes Bay Have A Go Surfing Days were the fourth and final for 2012 with the programme being delivered to Wellington, Counties Manukau, Northland and Hawkes Bay regions thanks to Kiwi Sport.  A total of 18 schools and over 500 students took part in the programme.

The learn to surf programme was also extended through the Waikato River Alive Project and ASB Community Trust Have A Go Surfing Days.