Garforth (14), a pupil at King's High School, had also heard how Hutchings cured himself of hepatitis A by eating three beetroot a day.
He has been a member of the St Clair Surf Life Saving Club for four years, but this was the first time he had competed at the New Zealand championships.
"It was exciting but also nerve-racking," he said. "The hardest part was not to sit too long in the sun and not get dehydrated."
Garforth was competing against boys two years older but still managed to make it to three finals.
"This was my first year in the serious grade," he said.
The participation inspired him and upon his return to Dunedin now spends six days a week training for his sport under the direction of coach James Coombes.
The experience of competing at the national championships for the first time helped him to be dominant when he returned home.
Since then, he has become the Otago under-16 champion and won the under-16 board and was a member of the St Clair team that won the open men's board relay at the southern regional championships at New Brighton Beach in Christchurch.
Garforth joined the St Clair club after watching a television programme on the sport four years ago.
"It looked cool and got me into it," he said.
Garforth is also a talented rugby player and has played No 8, lock and flanker for the Pirates club. He has been a member of the Otago under-48kg, under-65kg and under-14 teams for the past three years.
Name: Logan Garforth (14).
School: King's High School.
Sport: Surf life-saving.
Achievements: Fourth in under-16 paddle knee board and paddle board rescue, NZ regional championships, 2011; Otago under-16 champion, 2011; first in under-16 board relay and taplin, third in beach flags, Southern Ocean championships, 2011; first in under-16 board and open board relay, second in under-16 board relay, southern regional championships, 2011.
