Back in the Game

In 2007 Raglan surfer Daniel Kereopa reached the summit of his competitive surfing career. Since the young age of 13, DK as he became affectionately known, had been touted as a future champ. He went on to win a tonne of junior titles, represented his country at multiple world titles and on the World Tour, won the NZ Circuit a staggering six times, and developed into our premier big wave surfer, having been taken under the wing of legendary big wave hellman Ross Clarke-Jones in 2001, and taught the art of the growing discipline of tow surfing. However DK always had the desire to expand his skills and in 2002 he won the last big wave paddle event held on our shores, the Quiksilver Rex Von Huben Memorial Big Wave Challenge. Paddle surfing into giant waves did not stop there and over the following years he chased down and braved the frigid waters of the South Island, pushing big wave surfing to new heights. In 2007 DK kicked off the year finally winning the national title that had eluded him for so long, taking the triple and also winning the senior and longboard National Title, another discipline that he had focused on in between short boarding. Later that year DK was crowned the Australasian Big Wave Paddle In Champion winning the Oakley Big Wave Awards for his massive paddle in wave at Papatowai. That win right there capped off a stellar year for the man. It was right then and there DK decided he would go out on top and retire from competitive short board surfing and began to focus on other areas where he wanted to take his surfing. This didn’t wash with many sponsors who only saw being a surfer as one who rode short boards. DK began to paddle Waka Ama, continued to longboard, winning the Longboard Tour, and then branched out into the latest facet of surfing, Stand Up Paddle boarding, of which he has gone onto become the leading exponent. In between all this DK carved his own wooden alaia boards, hydro-foiled, and dove into kite boarding. Many thought DK the surfer had faded away, and while he still pulls out his trusty short boards when the time is right, when the waves are hollow at his local or he simply feels like picking through his quiver of equipment and riding what he feels is him for that day, then perhaps they are right, DK the short boarder has faded away, but DK our greatest ‘Waterman’ ever, has in amongst all of this been born. Recently DK had a week to remember - he tow surfed and SUP’ed a 15 foot session at an outer reef, got barrelled on his short board the next day at his local, then two days later showed up at the boat ramp, bound for a wave that was thought only tow surfable. When he came walking down the boat ramp with his 9’2” under his arm, there were a few chuckles from the boys, but an hour later, it was DK chuckling as he rode out of one of the biggest waves ridden by paddle power on our shores, and once again redefined what was thought possible to those that had come before him. Now he has his sights set on paddling a much larger wave, he has come full circle and we watch and wait to see what the man has for us next. We caught up with DK to see what makes him tick these days and for his take on the session: “I have always wanted to paddle into that wave so Ben Poulter and I packed up the truck and I put in my old 9ft gun along with the tow boards and jetski. After an all night sleep in the car, Ben and I met up with other tow-teams and our local guide/tow surfer Piripi took us through the safety plan. Piripi asked if I was going to paddle today? I didn’t answer straight away.... I saw excitement in his eyes, so I said, ‘Yeah Im going to go have a play!’ I towed Ben into a few bombs before we swapped and I grabbed my gun and took the lonely paddle out to the peak! It had been about two years since I paddled into any wave with significant power and volume to it, so I was a little nervous. My goal was to get the feeling of the reef, understand the currents and the shape of the wave as it sucks up. I made it out to the peak and sat inside the tow-teams. As I relaxed I started to sing a song to myself! Piripi and his tow partner also waited in the channel for me to catch my first wave. Before I knew it I was stroking into my first wave, it was a smaller wave but I made sure I paddled my arse off! I remember dropping down a long avalanche type face, hearing the boys hooting at me made me smile, so I kept the flow going and amply paddled back to the peak to catch more. There is no other feeling in surfing than paddling in to a big wave, putting your arse on the line. I was secretly excited that I wanted someone else to come and hang out with me! As always I missed the biggest waves of the day which guts me, but I am more determined than ever to paddle into some bombs in future swells!”