Gisborne longboarder Hannah Kohn’s return to the national championship cauldron ended in glory on day 3 of the 2025 National Surfing Championships in New Plymouth.
It was one of two titles claimed by Gisborne surfers on Tuesday - Stella Smith winning the women’s standup paddleboard crown 90 minute earlier.
Kohn last competed at the NZ champs more than 10 years ago although she has been at the forefront of the discipline, including representing her country at the ISA world champs in El Salvador last year.
In Tuesday’s final, Kohn continued from where she left off over the day. She won her quarterfinal and semifinal and got off to a strong start in the final held in clean 1-metre waves at Back Beach.
A 4.83 opening wave was followed by a 3.83 score, which she replaced with a 6.67 ride in her sixth and final wave for a best-two-waves combined score of 11.50 out of a possible 20.
That put her 5.43 points clear of runner-up Gabi Paul (of Piha) - Kohn’s New Zealand teammate at the worlds - on 6.07.
Tenaya Richardson (Taranaki) was third on 5.33 and Australia-based Kiwi teenager Juniper Harper was fourth on 3.74.
As the first New Zealander to win a world championship medal in stand-up paddleboard surfing, Smith is no stranger to the heat of battle.
As has been the case in recent years, she duked it out with Mount Maunganui rival Billie Scott, who Smith got the better of last year.
Smith repeated that effort in the six-woman final, posting 11.07 (5.67, 5.40) to Scott’s 9.50.
It was the fifth national crown to Smith since 2017.
Christchurch’s Jack Tyro won the men’s longboard final with a 16.10.
Wednesday’s programme featured heats in the U16 and U18 boys’ and girls’ divisions.
Sixteen titles were decided on day 3 of the national surfing champs.
Over-30 men: Sean Peggs (Tairua).
Over-40 men: Thomas Kibblewhite (Orewa).
Over-50 men: Lyndon Fairbairn (Dunedin).
Over-60 men: Geoff Hutchison (Raglan).
Over-70 men: Tony Ogilvy (Whakatāne).
Over-30 women: Thandi Tipene (Taranaki).
Over-40 women: Jo Moore (Taranaki).
Ove-50 women: Amaia Sasia (Taranaki).
Women’s SUP: Stella Smith (Gisborne).
Men’s SUP: Karlos Aarsen (Whangamata).
Men’s bodyboard: Gavin Horton (Taranaki).
Women’s bodyboard: Gisiele Summerton (Dunedin).
Under-18 boys longboard: Taj Robinson (Mangawhai).
Under-18 girls longboard: Demi Roberts (Mt Maunganui).
Men’s longboard: Jack Tyro (Christchurch)
Women’s longboard: Hannah Kohn (Gisborne).