Five events into an eight-race calendar, the Darcy Price NZ Ocean Surfski Series 2025–26 has reached its midpoint with the title race wide open. Three rounds remain before the season concludes on 9 May 2026, and because only each paddler's best three results count toward the final standings, nothing is settled yet.
The series spans the full New Zealand summer, running from 4 October 2025 through to that May finale. Men's Open, Women's Open, and doubles categories form the headline disciplines, with age-group divisions adding further depth to a competition that reflects the genuine breadth of ocean paddling across Aotearoa New Zealand.
The season opened in Wellington on 4 October with the Windy City Downwind, an approximately 14km course that also served as the 2025 NZ Ocean Ski National Championships. Double series points were on offer, and Wellington's reputation for reliable wind made it a fitting stage for a national title event. A week later, attention shifted north to Tutukaka for the Tawhiti Rahi Coastal Challenge on 11 October, where paddlers tackled roughly 30km of Northland coastline, beginning the process of separating the field on the early leaderboard.
December brought arguably the most visually striking event on the circuit. The 2025 Deep South Downwind on 6 December sent competitors across 18km of Lake Whakatipu in Queenstown, with snow-covered peaks and glacial scenery framing the course. Southern Lakes Multisport Club hosted the occasion, pairing fast downwind conditions with the southern hospitality the event has become known for.
January's Paddler Virtual Championships offered something different, opening participation to paddlers anywhere in the world by accepting GPS-verified 12km submissions lodged throughout the month. Then, on 7 February, the James Moore-morial "Bhutty Moore" Race in Tauranga brought the field together for a 32km coastal effort between Mount Maunganui and Maketu along the Bay of Plenty coastline, tightening the standings heading into the business end of the season.
At the top of the men's Open division sits Gene Prato, who has accumulated 1,000 points across five appearances. Prato finished tied on points for first in the 2024/25 series before being placed second overall, and his consistent form across multiple events this season has set the standard others must match. In the women's Open division, Rebecca Cole leads on 980 points. The defending 2024–25 series champion, Cole has backed her domestic title with strong international performances through 2025, and she remains the paddler her rivals must account for.
Across the age-group and specialist divisions, current leaders are: Lachie Harkness in Men's Junior U18; Sam Jones and Marley Thompson in Men's and Women's U23 respectively; Marchand Le Roux and Alex Martin in Men's and Women's Masters 40–49; Garth Spencer and Claudia Tarr in Men's and Women's Vet 50–59; Mark Torrington in Men's Classic 60+; and Paul Gillard in Men's Seadogs 70+. In doubles, Paul M and Bailee S lead on 650 points from two outings.
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Three events now stand between the field and the 2025–26 titles. On 14–15 March 2026, the Queen and King of the Bay takes place in Tasman, covering 30km from Marahau Beach to Port Māpua past Motueka, Kina Peninsula, and Ruby Bay. On 4 April 2026, the Heads to Harbour race in Whakatāne offers a 21km coastal challenge along the Eastern Bay of Plenty. The series then closes on 9 May 2026 with the Auckland King & Queen of the Harbour, based at the Takapuna Boating Club and covering 18 to 24km. As the final event of the season, it carries additional series points and has historically played a decisive role in settling the championship.
The best-three-results format means a single strong late performance can dramatically shift overall standings, so no competitor is out of contention and no lead is yet secure. The closing stages of the Darcy Price NZ Ocean Surfski Series promise to be as competitive as the calibre of athletes currently contesting them.
