How A Week-Long Surf Trip To New Zealand Turned Into A 4-Month Vacation

These French surfers voyaged to New Zealand in March for the Piha QS event, but COVID panic skyrocketed that week and the contest got cancelled. Many countries abruptly announced the closing of their borders, and a decision whether or not to return home had to be made. They opted to remain in New Zealand, which ended up being a 4-month stay.

See that mountain up there? I’d take 120 days of glancing at that over the views from inside my apartment too.

 A  brief description from surfer Tristan Guilbaud : 

Freshly arrived in New Zealand the day before, the WSL has just announced the cancellation of the Piha QS and the postponement of the following competitions for an indefinite period. Far from knowing how events would turn, we quickly turn our competition week into an unexpected little surf trip between friends. 

During that time while completely in our bubble, COVID19 went from epidemic level to pandemic and the borders began to close one after the other.

So it was time to make a decision, either stay in New Zealand or return to France? 

It was with Pauline and Rémi and welcomed by Paige’s family that we decided to stay in New Zealand until the situation improved at home.

1 week turning into 4 months and here I am on the eve of my return to France, head full of memories, meeting new people along the way and special moments shared with friends that will remain engraved for life, an extraordinary experience in such a special atmosphere.

Film by Remi Blanc.