World Surf League Championship Tour

Those early discussions were exploratory and depended on external funding and regulatory approvals. Council did not commit funding.

The 2026 New Zealand Pro Championship Tour event was later confirmed through discussions between central government and WSL in January 2026, and funded through the Government’s Events Attraction Package.

WSL selected Manu Bay because of its internationally recognised left-hand break and suitability for elite competition.

Council is not delivering or funding the event.

Yes. The event itself is free to attend, but access to Manu Bay will be managed due to limited onsite capacity, restricted parking and safety considerations.

There is no public parking at Manu Bay on event days. Spectators travelling from outside the surrounding area, where it is too far to walk or cycle, must use the Park and Ride transport system from Raglan Airfield. Transport passes are required for this service.

For more details, check out the Event Guide. 

WSL will provide daily event updates, including whether competition is on, off, or on hold, depending on surf and weather conditions.

Updates will be shared on the WSL website, Instagram, and through event alerts at worldsurfleague.com.

Traffic management will operate on the event training day (14 May) and competition days within the event window (15–25 May). Competition is expected to run on approximately four to six days, depending on surf and weather conditions.

Traffic management measures include:

• managed access checkpoint at Ngarunui Beach Road
• stop/go traffic management at the one-way bridge on Wainui Road
• temporary speed limits and no-stopping restrictions in managed areas
• managed public entry to Many Bay Reserve, including Park and Ride transport from Raglan Airfield for spectators

Emergency services access will be maintained at all times.

This checkpoint is in place to:

• manage traffic flow on Wainui Road
• reduce congestion closer to Manu Bay
• prioritise access for residents, businesses, emergency services and authorised vehicles
• support safe movement for pedestrians, cyclists and event transport

Spectator access will be managed separately through the Park and Ride system. To learn more, check out the official Event Guide.

Impacted residents and businesses can access their properties through managed access points using a valid access pass.

Passes have been delivered directly to properties in the affected area, with an initial allocation of two vehicle access passes per property.

If you haven’t received a pass, need additional passes, or need collection or delivery arranged, please contact Raglan iHub:

• NewZealandPro@worldsurfleague.com
• 027 462 9342

Passes can also be collected from Raglan iHub, 13 Wainui Road, until Friday 14 May, weekdays only, 10am–3pm. Further collection times will be added.

Property owners will need to show valid ID. Renters will need to provide proof of address, such as a utility bill, along with ID matching that name.

For Maaori freehold land access, collection times at Poihaakena Marae have now finished. Maaori freehold landowners should contact Raglan iHub.

There is no public parking at Manu Bay on event days.

All spectators from outside the surrounding area who cannot walk or cycle must use the Park and Ride transport system from Raglan Airfield, which is the main event transport hub. No spectator vehicles will be permitted past the checkpoint at Ngarunui Beach Road.

People who walk or cycle to Manu Bay should take extra care, particularly on Wainui Road. The road is narrow in places, has tight bends, and will be busier than usual with event traffic, pedestrians, cyclists and Park and Ride buses operating in the area.

Transport passes can be purchased on event days at the Raglan Airfield ticket box. Limited Event Festival Transport Passes will also be available online ahead of the event.

For more information, see the official Event Guide.

There will be no public parking at Manu Bay on event days.

Parking at Manu Bay will be restricted to authorised vehicles and event operations only.

Spectators who cannot walk or cycle to the venue are required to use the Park and Ride transport system from Raglan Airfield.

To learn more and see where you can park around town to walk to the Park and Ride shuttle service, visit the official Event Guide.

The 23 Raglan service between Hamilton and Raglan will continue operating throughout the WSL event period, however there will be temporary route changes near Manu Bay.

Pre and post-event: 1–13 May and 26–31 May
The 23 Raglan service will run as normal. Services scheduled to Manu Bay will turn around and finish at the top Manu Bay carpark area.

During the event: 14–25 May
The 23 Raglan service will still run between Hamilton and Raglan, but it will not travel to Manu Bay on competition days. On these days, services that would usually travel to Manu Bay will terminate at 72 Wainui Road.

If competition is cancelled for the day, services scheduled to Manu Bay will operate as normal.

Spectators travelling from Hamilton should get off at 5 Wallis Street, walk over the Raglan Walk Bridge toward the airport area, and connect with the Event Park and Ride shuttle buses to Manu Bay.

For return travel to Hamilton, passengers should board the 23 Raglan service from 7 Bow Street, outside the Raglan Library.

UPDATE:
Residents travelling from Hamilton on the 8.30am or 12.20pm services who need to continue beyond Raglan township can transfer to a shuttle bus at no extra cost, provided their regular bus fare has been paid. The driver will advise passengers to tell the shuttle driver their required drop-off location.

Passengers wanting to travel from Manu Bay back to Hamilton on the 9.48am or 1.40pm services can hail a shuttle bus during the following times:

• 9.00am–9.45am
• 1.00pm–1.45pm

Passengers should allow extra travel time during the event period due to increased traffic and visitor numbers.

For more information, visit Raglan – BUSIT

The 23 Raglan bus will terminate at 72 Wainui Road during the event because buses need a consistently safe path to operate.

During the event, the area between 72 Wainui Road and Manu Bay is expected to be much busier than usual, with higher traffic volumes, more pedestrians, traffic management and additional event-related vehicle movements.

There are also narrow sections and tight bends on this part of the route, which create additional safety concerns for bus operations.

Pausing the service to Manu Bay during the event period has been agreed as the safest and most practical option for passengers, drivers, residents and other road users.

For more information, visit Raglan – BUSIT

No additional scheduled public bus services are planned for the event.

This is because competition days are weather and surf dependent, which makes it difficult to schedule extra public bus services in advance.

The 23 Raglan service will continue to run between Hamilton and Raglan, but the regular route will be temporarily modified during the event period.

From 14–25 May, the 23 Raglan service will not travel to Manu Bay and will instead terminate at 72 Wainui Road.

Spectators travelling from Hamilton can get off at 5 Wallis Street, walk over the Raglan Walk Bridge toward the airport area, and connect with the Event Park and Ride shuttle buses to Manu Bay.

For more information, visit Raglan – BUSIT

Yes, people can walk or cycle to Manu Bay during the event.

Please take extra care on Wainui Road, as it is narrow in places, has tight bends, and will be busier than usual during the event period. Large Park and Ride buses and other event-related vehicles will also be operating in the area.

Pedestrians and cyclists should follow traffic management instructions, stay alert around vehicles, and allow extra time for travel.

Yes. Manu Bay will remain publicly accessible on non-competition days, although some areas may be affected by the event setup, pack-down, traffic management and site operations. For a venue map, check out the official Event Guide. 

On competition days, public access will be managed through the event entry system, including Park and Ride transport and venue capacity controls.

Daily event status updates will be shared by WSL, including whether competition is on, off, or on hold, depending on surf and weather conditions. Updates will be available on the WSL website, Instagram, and through event alerts at worldsurfleague.com.

Boat ramp access at Manu Bay will be affected during the event build, event operations and pack down. 

Arrangements are:

• 1–10 May: managed boat access through the build area
• 11–29 May: boat ramp closed
• 30 May: boat ramp reopens

Please follow all signage and traffic management in place.

The top carpark, toilets and showers are expected to remain open for public use during the build phase, where possible.

A traffic management plan (TMP) sets out how roads, parking, pedestrians, and transport will be safely managed when an event or activity temporarily changes normal traffic conditions.

For the WSL event, the TMP was prepared by the event’s traffic management provider and approved by Council.

It's designed to help manage busy periods safely, while maintaining access for residents, businesses, and emergency services.

The TMP includes arrangements for:

• managed parking and shuttle transport
• resident and business access
• pedestrian safety
• traffic control points
• signage and wayfinding
• emergency vehicle access at all times

TMPs are a standard requirement for events of this scale and must meet safety and operational requirements before they're approved.

A temporary alcohol ban will be in place at Manu Bay as a public safety measure during the event.

This means alcohol must not be brought into, possessed, or consumed within the temporary alcohol ban area.

Alcohol can only be purchased and consumed within the licensed public bar, operating under the special licence.

The event is expected to provide a short-term boost in visitor spending and significant international exposure for Raglan and the wider Waikato district. It also reinforces Raglan’s reputation as a world-class surf destination, with Manu Bay recognised internationally for its left-hand break.

Council’s role is to help manage the impacts that come with an event of this scale, including traffic, access, transport, and public safety planning.

Council’s existing freedom camping rules will continue to apply during the event.

Visitors should plan ahead and use local campgrounds, holiday parks, or other accommodation where possible.

Freedom camping is only permitted in approved locations and vehicles must be certified self-contained. Visitors are responsible for following all posted signs, staying only where permitted, and disposing of rubbish and wastewater correctly.

Please use designated public dump stations for toilet and greywater waste. Do not dump waste, wastewater or rubbish in public places, reserves, drains or waterways.

For permitted freedom camping locations in Raglan, dump station information and other accommodation options, visit the Raglan iHub accommodation webpage.

The event came through a central government pathway. The 2026 New Zealand Pro Championship Tour event was confirmed and funded by central government in January 2026 through its Events Attraction Package.

Council’s role sits within existing regulatory processes, rather than a separate public consultation process. The approvals required to deliver the event do not automatically require formal public consultation under legislation.

Council recognises the strong local interest in the event and will continue sharing information and updates with the community.

Yes. As this is a WSL event, initial engagement with tangata whenua was undertaken directly by WSL before the public announcement.

This included discussions in Raglan with members of Tainui, local surfing groups, and community members connected to the Karioi Reserve area where the event will take place.

Following central Government’s announcement that the event would proceed, further hui have been held with tangata whenua and Karioi Reserve Maaori landowners. Engagement is continuing as planning for the event progresses.

Vendor, supplier, and sponsorship opportunities for the WSL event at Manu Bay have now closed.

For any further questions, please contact the event team at newzealandpro@worldsurfleague.com.