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New Zealand’s SUP community came together at Takapuna Beach in March for the 2026 NZ SUP National Championships, with three days of racing across sprint, technical and distance formats.
At the top end, Fergus Dunlop and Maddie McAsey were crowned overall national champions after consistent performances across all disciplines.
The event featured sprint knockouts, technical racing with beach chicanes, and an 11km distance race, testing speed, skill and endurance across changing conditions.
Championship Results
Men’s Overall Champion: Fergus Dunlop
Women’s Overall Champion: Maddie McAsey
Men’s Distance: Fergus Dunlop
Women’s Distance: Rosara Davis
Men’s Technical: Fergus Dunlop
Women’s Technical: Maddie McAsey
Men’s Sprint: Fergus Dunlop
Women’s Sprint: Maddie McAsey
Age Category Overall Champions
Men
U19: Nicholas Louw
O40: Jordan Zagonel
O50: Bruce Curson
O60: Bruce Page
Women
U19: Rosara Davis
O19 (Open): Maddie McAsey
O50: Trudy Lile
O60: Shirley Dryden (Distance Champion)
Challenger Fleet
The Challenger division delivered strong racing across all three disciplines, with a wide mix of ages and experience levels.
Men’s Overall: Paul Wright
Women’s Overall: Chloe Wright
Several under-14 paddlers featured among the top results, highlighting the strength of the next generation coming through the sport.
Community and Participation
A new 3km Fun Paddle was introduced for 2026, adding a more accessible entry point to the event.
First Male: Craig Andrewartha
First Female: Sandra Gordon
With 15 paddlers taking part, it brought a strong community feel to the weekend and is expected to grow in future years.
Event Overview
Across three days of racing, the Takapuna Beach venue hosted a full spectrum of paddlers, from elite competitors through to first-time participants.
The 2026 NZ SUP Nationals highlighted both the competitive edge and inclusive nature of the sport in New Zealand, with depth across all age categories and divisions.