The Duke Festival of Surfing: Celebrating the Spirit of Aloha and Aroha in New Brighton

Every year, New Brighton Beach in Christchurch, comes alive with the vibrant energy of one of the largest surfing competitions in Aotearoa - the Duke Festival of Surfing. This unique festival, which draws in over 200 entries across 14 age group divisions, is not just about showcasing surfing prowess; it’s a celebration of community, heritage, and the shared love for the ocean.
The Duke Festival was established in 2016 to honor the memory of Duke Kahanamoku, an indigenous Hawaiian and five time olympic medalist in Swimming. He won medals in 1912, 1920 and 1924. A keen swimmer, surf lifesaver and surfer from Waikiki, Oahu, Hawai'i, his dream was for surfing to be an olympic sport, which turned into reality in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Though pre-european Māori had forms of surfing, Duke Kahanamoku is responsible for officially re-introducing surfing as a modern sport to New Zealand in the form of flashy and innovative demonstrations held at beaches all over Aotearoa. He also introduced modern surfing to the coasts of The United States and Australia.
"The Duke Festival is a really great sort of first competition for people to enter as well. It is really casual, really relaxed. So if you're a surfer who's thinking, oh, do I want to enter a comp? Duke is totally the best comp to enter."
The festival is not just a surfing competition; it’s a family event that brings together surfers of all ages. From under-12s to over-70s, the festival is the only one in New Zealand where four generations can compete side by side. This inclusivity is a testament to the festival’s commitment to community and family values."The Duke Festival embodies both the sort of Maori values of aroha, manaakitanga, but also brings in that Hawaiian stuff. Warren and I decided when we did The Duke that no matter how rubbish the surf was, we would hold The Duke at Brighton."
"Oh, look, it’s not a destination for the best wave. It’s a good all-round surf, and it’s produced some very good surfers. Surfing was always here through the surf lifesaving clubs. In the 1960s, the modern surfing wave hit the world, and it hit New Brighton in a big way, I can tell you. It was the huge development from the 60s on that’s brought surfing to what it is today."
Although New Brighton Beach might not sport the best waves in the country, the pier makes a perfect grandstand to watch the competition up close.
With its rich history, vibrant community, and stunning location, the Duke Festival is a must-attend event for anyone visiting Christchurch in March.