Dearns (16), a year 12 pupil at Kings High School, finished second in the under-16 boys kneeboarding world championships at Opunake and was third in the under-18 event.
"It felt really good. It was big achievement for me at my first worlds," Dearns told the Otago Daily Times from Opunake. "It was icing on the cake."
Dearns has been surfing for five years and understands the need to "go for broke" when he makes a final.
"Geordi went for the big moves and this got him into second place," Ben Kennings, of Surfing New Zealand, said. "He reads the conditions and attacks the waves."
The final of the under-16 event was won by Roydon Stewart (Opunake) in a close contest with Dearns.
"It got a bit stressful at times," Dearns said. "But I was much better when I relaxed and just decided to have fun."
Dearns joined his mates in the St Clair surf five years ago and is now one of the most promising teenage surfers in the country.
"My friends were getting into surfing," Dearns said. "We decided to stick together as a group and do it together.
"There are a lot of older guys at St Clair beach, so we decided to join the surf culture. Dearns (16), a year 12 pupil at Kings High School, was recognised by the national selectors and attended a kneeboard clinic at Coffs Harbour in Australia in 2007.
He matched the best Australians and reached the semifinals in the competition.
This experience persuaded him to put more time into kneeboarding .
"I enjoy all types of surfing," Dearns said. "I just like being there and testing myself against the waves."
In traditional surfing, Dearns finished third in the under-18 event at the South Island championships in 2007.
Surfing is a family affair with his mother, Leanne Flaws, officiating as a surf judge for the past 20 years. She judged at the world championships.
