Piha puts price tag on surfing contest
Only pass holders can access beach for competition
AWest Auckland beach will be shut off for a week to those who haven’t bought $20 parking passes for one of the country’s biggest surfing competitions.
The Piha Pro, taking place over March 16-22, is one of eight venues for the World Surf League’s new Challenger Series, and will see top surfers from across the globe battling it out at the black sand beach break.
And to handle crowds flocking to the event which will feature 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, organisers have limited the number of parking passes available to those wnting to make their own way to the beach. There would be a park-n-ride system available from Parrs Park in Glen Eden.
On Sunday it was announced Slater, widely regarded as the greatest surfer of all time, would be competing at the inaugural event, which runs a week before the Championship Tour season-opener on the Gold Coast.
Organisers are expecting thousands of spectators, generating an estimated $1.5 million for the local economy, with further potential tourism benefits expected from the 600 million TV and online viewers.
But the hordes making their way along the only road in — which is narrow, steep and winding — to witness the spectacle and limited parking beachside, are creating logistical headaches for organisers.
Event director Chris Simpson said the solution they’d arrived at was offering daily pre-booked parking permits to visitors, with a checkpoint on the main road in just after the turn-off to Karekare beach.
“The limited parking is providing a challenge, and we have implemented these measures to guarantee people spaces as long as they book ahead, rather than having people go all the way down and get stuck for hours. “We have been in dialogue with police and Auckland Transport, and feel this is the best way from a health and safety perspective.” Residents would be provided a limited number of permits for themselves and guests, and organisers would be working with the community, local businesses and other services such as for emergencies to ensure ease of access. Karekare, Anawhata and Piha Rd residents outside the managed access point would get two parking permits.
There would be about 600 visitor passes, available to purchase through iTicket for $20 per vehicle.
Visitor parking would be at the domain and Mill Camp Site at the end of Glen Esk Rd.
“The only limit is on parking spaces, not people, so we encourage everybody to carpool,” Simpson said.
There would be no way in without a pass, meaning those looking to visit Piha but not the surfing would need to consider another west coast beach if they didn’t want to purchase a pass.
Simpson said they expected the event interest to grow even further with more big announcements coming this week.
Fiona Anderson, who runs Piha
Campground, said the phone had been going non-stop since the news Kelly Slater would be competing was broken by the Herald on Sunday.
“It’s incredibly exciting, but we are full up.”
Along with Slater, inspirational Hawaiian surfer Bethany Hamilton has already been confirmed for the event.
Seven-time women’s world champion, Stephanie Gilmore, has also expressed interest.
Piha’s own Elliot Paerata-Reid, the national senior men’s champion, and Mt Maunganui’s Kehu Butler have been given wildcards to the event.
Further New Zealanders could gain entry, with Ricardo Christie and Paige Hareb the most likely, having spent last season on the Championship Tour.