PLEASE HELP THIS BROTHER AND SISTER COMBO ON THEIR JOURNEY TO MAKE IT IN WORLD SURFING!

THE EVENT

Both Jonas and Elin have both been selected to represent NZ in Portugal in September. They are two representatives out twelve selected.

As they are brother and sister this is a huge financial cost for their family who are stretched to make this happen. Elin and Jonas are planning garage sales and car washes at school and selling stuff on trademe, however getting the cause out to the wider public through iSport would be amazing, as every dollar is gratefully accepted towards helping them both to go.

The cost to this date from Surfing NZ is $5,900 per person which includes flights, accommodation and van hire. Food is yet to be added to the price as well as travel insurance.

JONAS..

THE STORY

I started surfing when I was 11. The influences that got me into the sport were my parents and their previous involvement in surfing. They helped me to progress and took me around the country so I could surf the best waves and push my progression as hard as I could. Also the fact of how close I lived to the beach at home gave me a massive drive to surf as much as possible and get as good as I can.

Challenges I have had in my career so far would be an injury based barrier that gave me about 4 months out of the water. I tore my MCL ligament will doing an air and it resulted in this big rehabilitation process right before the 2015 World juniors in California. Potentially hindering my performance. Other big challenges would be fundraising to get to these big world championship event last year, as the flights and accommodation is so hectic. Fundraising techniques such as garage sales and movie nights have been effective as the community and our network of people has really got in behind us. This year I feel it is a little harder this year as the cost has increased, this is why we are turning to the iSport foundation for support. 

Achievements:

I won the U16 boys NZ Nationals in 2014, Gisborne. This bolted me into the NZ team travelling to Equador for the World Juniors in which I placed 40th out of 150 and the team placed 11th out of 40. I followed the National circuit the next year and ended up second in the rankings allowing my selection in the 2015 team which traveled to California for the world juniors in 2015.

This year I won all three billabong comps (From series Mt,Whangamata and piha 17 leading me to be at number 1 on the rankings and a convincing selection into the U18 World juniors. Throughout my junior career I have picked up product sponsors like Rusty for clothing and surfboards which helps so much.

However My biggest achievement would be making the World KOTG king of the groms video competition. Last year 1000 kids around the world entered an online video competition showcasing their most high performance standard of surfing. Pro Surfer Dane Reynold picked me in the top 30. The recognition to be at this level of performance in the world was a massive driving force as it showed me my level in comparison and pushed me to go harder in my surfing.

My big goals for my career are to either make the WSL competitive tour or make a career out of representing companies in the surf industry where I will have to advertise and make high performance films for the company. I am currently with the Rusty Team. On top of my sporting goals I also want to have an academic back up with my strong background in calculus physics and bio where I could pursue an environmental engineering degree and chase that pathway. However this is only a back up to what I really want to do and achieve. Which is making a living out of my sport.

ELIN..

THE STORY

I started surfing when I was about 9 with my dad at crossroads here in Mount Maunganui. He would push me in on his fat fish onto these 2ft glassy waves and I would try to stand up. It was challenging exhilarating and I was hooked. I started competing and travelling around NZ for surf comps when I was about 11 and loved it. I did well and won Nationals U12 when I was 11.

Surfing is a passion the whole family shares. My bother and I are always checking conditions, if there is a slightest swell running we are out there straight after school, practicing what we need to improve on for hours on end. I love it, the feeling when you are going fast and deep is like nothing else I know. We beg our family members to film us when we are out as watching ourselves surf is useful in fine tuning skills. We do other fitness training as well, especially when there is no swell running, but to get good at surfing you basically have to surf a lot. So my family drives us around the country side looking for swell a lot. If there is nothing on the east coast we are often in Raglan.

Earlier this year I went to Dunedin to compete in the NZ Surfing Nationals and won the U16 and U18 girls title, also placing 3rd in the Open Women.

In 2013 I won the U16 National title once before in Gisborne when I was 13. I am going for the first time to compete in Australia at the end of this month in Billabong Occy Grom competition.

This year on the 17th-24th of September my brother Jonas and I have both selected to go to the Vissla ISA world junior Surfing Championships. This competition is held in Azores an island out of Portugal. We have both been selected to represent NZ twice before. First time was in 2014 in Ecuador, 13 years and placed 13th in the U16 girls. Last year the competition was held in California where I placed 17th in the U16girls.

I am so honoured to be selected to represent NZ in Surfing, I made a goal when I was 12 to represent NZ before I turned 18, and never in my wildest dreams could I imagine I would be selected first time one month after turning 13!

Its great to share the same passion for the sport as my brother, we are competitive with each other and push each other along. The biggest challenge is to find the money for us both now to take our chosen sport to the next level.