Instructors - Learn to Surf | Sumner, Christchurch

Our team of surf instructors are all great people who are passionate about surfing. They’ve been handpicked because they’re great teachers with a good technical surfing knowledge. They’ll make sure you’re having a fun, safe, friendly time whilst making sure you’re progressing your skills as quickly as possible.

Aaron Lock aka Lockie

Aaron Lock is lifelong surfer and bodyboarder. He started teaching others in 1995 and the surf school has grown from there. He loves nothing more than passing on his passion of surfing to others.
Age: 48 years
Surfing : 38 Years
Coaching : 28 years
Aaron is one of New Zealand’s top competitive Bodyboarders and has many competition titles to his name. He is also a successful surfing competitor. He splits his surfing time between Shortboarding, Longboarding and Bodyboarding.
He is a qualified International Surf Assoc.(ISA) Level 2 Surf Coach and Coaching New Zealand Level 2 Coach. He is also involved with the Canterbury Scholastic Surf Team.
Aaron is regularly involved in Judging and Administrating local and national surfing competitions.

1st Open Bodyboard 2022 and 2020 New Zealand Surf Champs
2nd Senior Bodyboard 2010 New Zealand Surf Champs
2nd Open Bodyboarding 2003 New Zealand Surf Champs
South Island Circuit Longboard Champion 2006
B. Sc Microbiology
CNZ Level 1 and 2 Coach
ISA Surf Coach Level 1 and 2
Disabled Athletes Coach
ISA Surf Judge Level 1
Em Care Level 1

Minnie Robberds

Minnie is a very skilful individual, she is one of our most experienced coaches and is a very talented Longboarder. She finds herself competing in various longboarding events and is a talented Surf lifesaver. Minnie is also extremely gifted when it comes to music, she is a part of a band called “There’s A Tuesday”, who are enjoying great success, check them out at a festival over the summer.

ISA Surf Coach Level 1
Workplace First Aid
Surf Lifeguard Award

Brittany Andrews

Brittany was our head coach in 2020. She’s a stylish longboard surfer and this has placed her amongst the very top in the South Island. She’s a dedicated coach with a kind and fun nature. Her creative endeavours are not just in surfing. Brittany is an artist, a star plant owner, a surf lifesaver, an environmentalist and has finished her Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Sociology and minoring in Human Services. With all this important information in her brain she remains a top coach with a huge wealth of knowledge to help you succeed in all areas of surfing.

ISA Surf Coach Level 1
First Aid Level 2
South Island Circuit Longboard Champion 2018
Lifesaving Bronze
B.A maj Sociology, min Human Services

Charlie Wise

Charlie is has been with the surf coach crew since he was a grom! Charlie has moved up through the ranks starting out as a Surf Kid in our Sunday Kids group. Now Charlie is a very fun and enthusiastic Surf Coach, he hasn’t missed a beat since starting to coach with us!  Charlie is a very talented longboard surfer, one to watch this summer! He is heading to Otago Uni to study neuroscience in 2023.

ISA Surf Coach Level 1
Workplace First Aid
Surf Lifeguard Award

Mary Rocha

Mary is originally from Brazil and has chosen NZ to be her home since 2006. Despite doing bodyboarding in Brazil as a teenager, she took her first surf lesson with Learn to Surf when she celebrated her 40th birthday! Mary believes that you are never too old to start something new. Since then she has surfed in Australia, Morocco and Brazil and is super keen to pass on her enthusiasm for the sport and her love for the sea to others. Mary is a business owner, writer, traveller, pianist and is currently completing her second degree, Musical Arts.

ISA Surf Coach Level 1
First Aid Level 1

Jak De Kort- Martin

Jak is a travel enthusiast and a keen surfer. Although Jak is one of our newest recruits, his time spent coaching overseas has provided him with a wide variety of experience in the surf instructing field. Jak has also spent the 2020 winter as a Ski instructor in Queenstown. Jak enjoys testing his limits in surfing by alternating between a large range of different boards. His approach to surfing has allowed him to become a brilliant all-round surfing guru. Additionally, Jak enjoys ripping the bowl on his skateboard in his free time and can be spotted shredding at any local half-pipe.

ISA Surf Coach Level 1
Surf Lifeguard Award
Ski Instructors Level 2

Adam Brasell

Adam is an outdoor enthusiast. He has a wealth of knowledge for the outdoors & Surf coaching. He’s a multitalented individual in surfing, kayaking, rock climbing, snowboarding, travelling and he even makes his own surfboards! 

Adam works at ARA as a lecturer in the Sustainability and Outdoor Education Programs. 

B. Sustainability and Outdoor Education (BSOE)
NZOIA Kayak Leader
ISA Surf Coach Level 1
Surf Lifeguard Award
Pre Hospital Emergency Care
Crisis Management

Oscar Nott

Oscar is another former Surf kid who has moved up the ranks and become a very talented surfer and instructor! Oscar is very stylish on his shortboard but also likes to cruise on his log. Oscar has done a few summers with the Surfcoach crew and when he isn’t surfing, searching for waves or coaching, Oscar is studying in Wellington towards a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance & International Business. 

ISA Surf Coach Level 1
Surf Lifeguard Award
Level 2 First Aid

Hamish Macleod

Hamish has been with the SurfCoach crew for a couple of seasons now! Hamish is another outdoor/ adventure enthusiast, he has graduated with a degree in Sustainability and Outdoor Education. With all his knowledge about the outdoors & surfing this makes him an excellent instructor with a heap of fun and goofiness on the side.

ISA Surf Coach Level 1
Surf Lifeguard Award
Bachelor of Sustainability and Outdoor Education

Angus Murray

Gus has just started his second season at Learn to Surf. He has a relaxed but technical approach to coaching, making a lesson with him a blast. He is studying toward a Bachelor of Communications and plays drums alongside Minnie in There’s a Tuesday.

ISA Surf Coach Level 1
Surf Lifeguard Award
Workplace First Aid

Lana Lock

Lana has been involved with surfing for over 20 years. As Aarons wife she has been traveling to surfing comp’s and beaches for the last 30 years.
Lana loves the ocean with fishing one of her passions.
Whilst Lana is not a top surfer her love of the ocean and people skills make her a great coach. She is especially good with young children and also adult clients who are having difficulty mastering the sport.
These days Lana is our beach manager, chances are she’ll greet you when you arrive for your lesson or come to hire a board.