World’s best tested by St Clair surf

Tehei Tuahin, of Tahiti, cuts through the surf at St Clair beach at the world kneeboarding championships earlier this week. PHOTOS: GREGOR RICHARDSON

The world kneeboarding championships have taken place off Dunedin beaches this week. But what is kneeboarding? How did it come about? And does anyone under 50 do it? Steve Hepburn went out and had a look. 

But all and all, one stands to get through life. Some of us even run.

That is why when a surfboard was invented in Hawaii all those years ago, humans evolved to get off their knees and hands to stand up.

Have a decent look at what is ahead.

But kneeboarders are different — they never get to full height.

Kneeboards range between 1.6m and 1.9m in length. They feature a rounded nose, a rubber pad for the knees, and are often made of polyurethane and fibreglass, similar to surfboards.

Kneeboarders sometimes wear leashes and swim fins, and they have a few advantages over their fellow surfers when it comes to getting in barrels — kneeboarders need less tube area, and they can handle steeper take-offs.

For those here this week, it is a passion which runs deep.

Gigs Celliers, who called in the jet skis when Australian surfer Mick Fanning was attacked by a shark off South Africa in 2015, said he has been kneeboarding since he was 14.

‘‘It was something I did when I was a boy in South Africa and I’ve done it ever since. I’ve ended with four world titles,’’ he said.

‘‘What attracts me to it? You would get a different answer from anyone. But it is something we all love. To be good at it — you have to have some natural talent, be a good athlete, good feel for the ocean and very dedicated. But you could say that about any sportsmen in any sport.’’

He described kneeboarding as the ‘‘unglamorous tribe of surfing’’.

Tom Navako, of Australia, uses his hand for balance. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON

Kneeboarding started in Southern California in the 1970s and has never gained a foothold like surfing.

But those who do it say it is real fun. Kneeboarders can not lean down and grab the board with their hands. It is all in the hips to get through the waves and score points for tricks.

With a low centre of gravity, kneeboarders are able to perform a vast number of tricks with fewer chances of wiping out, compared to those on their pins.

Or as Auckland chef Mike Anderson said you get to see a lot more of the tube.

He said kneeboarding had a great camaraderie between competitors and everyone was friends, unlike other water-based sports he could think of.

Bradford Colwell, of the United States, carves through a wave. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON

Another South African, Larry Berger, said it was easy to ride a kneeboard but not so easy to get good at it.

He had been doing it for near on 40 years and never tired of the waves.

‘‘It’s in the blood, I suppose. Just something you latch on to and never stop it.’’

The finals of the competition will take place today, likely to be at St Clair Beach after competition was switched to Blackhead yesterday.