A stone's throw from the Worlds: shooting New Zealand's first stone skimming championships

The first of its kind

The first Aotearoa Stone Skimming Championships came to me through our relationship with Lake Hāwea Station. It was Richie’s brainchild, and he was very keen on it. Being the first one in New Zealand, and knowing how flat Lake Hāwea sits and how good the rocks are around there, it was the ideal place for it. The prize was a trip to the World Championships in Scotland.

A world champion in the making

Abbey McDonald, an Australian living in Queenstown, won the women’s final with a 72-metre skim, the longest of the day. A few months later she went to Easdale Island in Scotland and won the Worlds, beating the six-time champion. So the woman I photographed at the first New Zealand event walked away world champion.

I was there because we were sponsoring it as Cactus, and the rest of the weekend was sorted too: a shoot at the station the next morning, above the inversion.

What I shot it on

I brought the GFX100S II and the 32-64mm, which was plenty for the day. My images lean more spectator than in-your-face event coverage, and that suited it.

On the day

Minus four, then glorious

The day started at about minus four and frosty. By the time we reached the station the sun had come over the hills and it turned glorious, if still chilly. The vibe was high, the music was going, and Richie made a great MC alongside the guys from The Rock and The Weekend Mish. There was a huge digger full of stones, and a jet boat to start the event.

Camera crews everywhere

There were at least fifteen other people filming and shooting, some with very impressive setups. With that many cameras on the waterfront, I went looking for the wider view.

The last throw

For the final throws I left the waterfront and went up to the car park, with the whole lake in front of me and the sun going down. It came right down to the last throw, and I heard the cheers roll up from the crowd below.

What I’d do differently

You wouldn’t know it was the first

The food and coffee vendors were great, and compared to the championships I’ve been to in England, the whole thing felt quite luxurious, in the nicest way: a full day spent beside a beautiful lake. Jay Reeve from The Rock winning the men’s was hilarious.

Next year

I’d bring the 110mm for tighter frames, and probably the Mavic 3 Pro for drone atmosphere shots at the start and end of the day. Beyond that, I’d go looking for a few alternate angles.