Single Fin Mingle festival making a splash

Star Sumner surfer Jack Tyro is set to make waves at the Single Fin Mingle as the festival and surf competition celebrates its 10th anniversary.

“It’s so much fun. Every night there’s always something on,” the 17-year-old said.

“It’s a real social thing. It’s not so much the competition, but more bringing everyone together around longboarding.”

Fresh from winning the top title at the Noosa Longboard Festival of Surfing in Queensland, Tyro is feeling optimistic about his prospects.

“As long as I surf the best I possibly can, I’m happy. I don’t go into these things worrying about who’s in it or where they’re coming from.”

After sarting on Thursday, the Single Fin Mingle is making a splash with three action-packed days of surfing, music and festivities.

Sumner village will welcome more than 50 of the world’s best longboarders for what organisers hope will be an epic show of skill.

Tyro will have stiff competition from world no 12, Kai Ellice-Flint from Byron Bay, as well as internationally regarded surfer and shaper Thomas Bexon, both competing at the Mingle for the first time.

Away from the water, more than 17 artists and acts will be performing over the three days.

The Single Fin Mingle Street Party on Saturday is headlined by homegrown Sumner musicians, The Butlers.

Festival director Ambrose McNeill is proud of the journey the Single Fin Mingle has taken to reach its tenth anniversary.

“It’s massive. It feels like a really special milestone for us and it’s been a big journey to get here.”

He thanked the community for its support over the years.

“It’s definitely the biggest event of the year for Sumner,” said McNeill.

“I think just culturally, it helps put Sumner on the map as an international surfing destination. You know, Sumner isn’t Malibu or someplace with really warm water.”

He estimates the festival injects well over $100,000 into the community every year.

More than 3000 people are expected to attend the festivities and surf competition, depending on the weather.

Meanwhile, in a separate event called Heart Surf on Friday, nearly 50 surfers are undertaking a 36-hour surf relay to fundraise for a Canterbury woman's crucial cancer medication.

Since October 2020, Vickie Hudson-Craig, mum to six-year-old Ruby, has been living with metastatic melanoma, which has spread to her heart, reported Chris Lynch Media.

Her life-prolonging medication is not funded in New Zealand, so every month she and her husband Ryan Hudson-Craig have to find $5500 to keep her alive.

Heart Surf will see the group of surfers take to the water in teams of two or three, for up to two hours at a time over the duration of the event which will finish at 3pm on Saturday.

For more information on the event or to donate, visit https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/heart-surf-sponsored-surf