Darcy Price
NZ Ocean Surfski Series
The Darcy Price NZ Ocean Surfski Series is the national ocean racing series comprising of the premier surfski races around Aotearoa.
The Darcy Price series is made up of 8 events each summer, one of which will also double as the NZ Ocean Racing National Championships. A paddler’s best 3 races will count towards the series results, with winners recognised at the final event.
With this series we hope to:
1. Promote the sport and grow the ocean paddling community.
2. Encourage paddlers to compete, challenge themselves and experience these fantastic events.
3. Showcase the amazing ocean paddling we have all around Aotearoa New Zealand
4. Provide a pathway for paddlers to improve and compete in international ocean ski events.
2024/25 SERIES FINAL RESULTS
Click link above to see the provisional series results after all series races
Series Races for 2024/25 season
TAWHITI RAHI COASTAL CHALLENGE
Tutukaka - Saturday 14th September 2024
RESULTS
Windy City Downwind
Te Whanganui a Tara | Wellington - Saturday 2nd November 2024
RESULTS
Deep SOuth Downwind*
Tāhuna | Queenstown - Saturday 7th December 2024
*This event doubles as the 2024 NZ Ocean Ski National Champs
Paddler Virtual Champs
Aotearoa | Virtual - 1st to 31st January 2025
Queen and King of the Bay
Te Tai o Aorere | Tasman - 25/26 January 2025
James Moore-morial “Bhutty Moore” Race
Tauranga | Mt Maunganui - Saturday 1st February 2025
RESULTS
Heads to Harbour
Whakatane - Saturday 8th March 2025
Auckland King & Queen of the Harbour
Tamaki Makaurau | Auckland -Saturday 3rd May 2025
Darcy Price Series and Points
A competitor’s series points will be the total of their best THREE race points. The male, female and mixed doubleski paddlers with the most points at the end of the series will be the Darcy Price NZ Ocean Racing Series Champions for that season.
Points are allocated per event based on a paddler's result. Events are weighted so that some events are worth more points than other events. Point allocation for each event is as follows:
In the event of total series points being equal following the conclusion of the series, the NZ Ocean Racing Nationals Championships will be the deciding race.
International competitors are eligible for Darcy Price series points.
Age groups/divisions
All races in the series will follow the following age categories (with both male and female divisions):
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Junior Ski (18yrs and under)
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Under 23 Ski (19 to 23yrs)
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Open Ski (Open means overall and includes all age categories)
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Over 40 Ski (40-49yrs)
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Over 50 Ski (50-59yrs)
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Over 60 Ski (60-69yrs)
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Over 70 Ski (70+yrs)
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Double Ski Open (no age groups, mixed, male and female)
There's no need to decide what age group you want to race- it's calculated automatically based on your date of birth (and your age at 31 December of the year of the race). Everyone is eligible for Open rankings in addition to their age group.
For the purpose of the Darcy Price Series scoring, competitors' age groups are calculated based on the age they are turning in the year of the last race of the series. For example, for the 2024-2025 series, competitors' age groups will be determined as at 31/12/25.
Darcy Price Series OVERall winners
2024/2025
Male: Ben Keys
Female: Rebecca Cole
Mixed double: Dan Bremner/Morgan Clark
2023/2024
Male: Gene Prato
Female: Danika Mowlem
Mixed double: Dan Bremner/Claire Sykes
2022/2023
Male: Tim Waller
Female: Danika Mowlem
Doubleski: Dan Bremner/Amber Bonny
2021/2022
Male: Chris Emmett
Female: Danika Mowlem
Mixed double: Dan Bremner/Amber Bonny
2020/2021
Male: Ben Keys
Female: Danika Mowlem
2019/2020
Male: Ben Keys
Female: Rachel Clarke
About Darcy Price
The series has been named after Darcy Price, who sadly passed away in 2018.
Darcy was one of the driving forces behind ski paddling in New Zealand, founding the Auckland King and Queen of the Harbour and the Takapuna Beach Series surfski races. He was also an accomplished anaesthetist and was well known in medical circles for his practice and research.
Most of all, he was a fantastic guy and enthusiastic paddling companion, many paddlers have fond memories of surfski adventures shared with Darcy.
We feel that this is a fitting tribute to Darcy and that he would have loved the idea of promoting surfski paddling again in New Zealand, giving more people the opportunity to enjoy this great sport in some beautiful parts of the country.