A young Tauranga skating club has made history, claiming top trophies and eyeing the world stage.

Te Moana-a-Toi lit up Blenheim from June 30 to July 5, turning talent and dedication into a haul of medals, trophies, and national recognition at the 2025 Artistic Skating Championships.

Te Moana-a-Toi, representative team, dominated the competition, winning the James Taylor Memorial Trophy, the Charles Jacobsen Trophy, and the Joe Bright Aggregate Trophy for Precision.

Te Moana-a-Toi, representative team and head coach Sarah Jane Johnson.

In just five years, the club has rapidly risen to prominence, establishing itself on the national artistic skating scene, head coach Sarah Jane Johnson said.

“We are still very young. That is why it is such a big deal.”

Johnson, 28, brings more than 20 years of competitive experience from Australia and has driven the club’s rise since moving to New Zealand seven years ago.

She achieved multiple Australian National Championship titles in figures, dance, and free skating during her competitive career in Australia.

Because of limited available space, the club must travel between multiple venues for training across Tauranga and often travels to Whakatāne to train with club members.

“We practise for one to two hours most days, but it is really limited at the moment,” Johnson said.

Currently, Te Moana-a-Toi includes skaters from Whakatāne and Rotorua, as a lack of coaches means Johnson has to coach across multiple locations around the Bay of Plenty.

“There aren’t that many people who teach artistic skating. So, if a town loses a coach, they lose their club.”

Lousha Russell practises one of her routines.

The Rotorua club was already well-established when Johnson took the reins, and instead of running two separate clubs, she merged them into a single entity.

“I have a very young family, so this year, we decided to merge, just so that I could at least help all the skaters but only run one club.”

Johnson did not travel to Blenheim this year because of family commitments.

Despite her absence, the group managed to win the prize for the most points over the entire championship.

“It’s never been won by a Bay of Plenty team ever,” Johnson said.

Only three other teams have won that trophy: Upper Hutt, Manawatū, and North Shore.

Despite the success this year, Johnson emphasised that winning trophies was not why she coaches, but for the love of rollerskating and the community she has formed with the girls she trains.

“They are like my babies.”

Amy Cheetham, Amber Smith, Megan Cheetham and Navaeh Brewer. Photo / Tom Eley

The club sent 21 skaters and had an impressive showing, with Amy Cheetham, Amber Smith, Megan Cheetham, and Navaeh Brewer potentially qualifying for international competition.

Now the award-winning skaters are waiting for selection for the Artistic Skating World Cup Figures and Oceania Championships.

Amy Cheetham is waiting for a call up to the Artistic Skating World Cup Figures in Argentina.

Amy Cheetham, 20, began skating eight years ago, following her sister, Megan, into the sport.

“It has been a rollercoaster,” Cheetham said.

Cheetham, with Amber Smith and her sister Megan, is now waiting to hear if she will be eligible for the Artistic Skating World Cup Figures in Argentina.

Brewer, 17, who represented New Zealand at the Oceania Artistic Skating Championships, will travel overseas competitively for the first time if selected for competition.

Initially, Brewer had tried her hand at ice skating, but since the closest ice skating rink was in Auckland, she switched to roller skating.

“I prefer rollerskating, I can barely [ice] skate backwards.”

The group of skaters will find out by the end of the week if they have been selected, Brewer said.

There is no funding or sponsorship for the girls to travel to the World Cup and Oceania Artistic Skating Championships. The club would have to fundraise, Johnson said.

“It will be another $10,000 to $12,000 just to get to the competitions.”

To learn more about the team, please visit the Bay of Plenty Artistic Roller Skating Club Facebook page.