World Champion Boxer Lani Daniels to Compete in Z Manu World Champs Grand Final in New Zealand.
World champion boxer Lani Daniels will swap the boxing ring for the water this week, competing in the Grand Final of the Z Manu World Champs in Auckland, New Zealand.
The event celebrates the iconic “Manu” - a V shaped style of dive bomb popular across Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly within Māori and Pasifika communities. Divers enter the water in a distinctive V-shaped position designed to create the biggest possible splash, a move that has long been a staple of summer at rivers, pools and coastal wharves across the country.
What began as a cultural pastime has grown into an international competition, with more than 2,000 competitors taking part in regional qualifiers across New Zealand and an international qualifying event on Australia’s Gold Coast before reaching the Grand Final.
Daniels, who is of Māori descent (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine), will compete in the event’s “Famous Faces” division alongside former New Zealand rugby star Piri Weepu, acclaimed chef Peter Gordon, and actor Bruce Hopkins, best known internationally for his role as Gamling in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
Also entering the water are Paralympic champion Cameron Leslie, New Zealand strongman Rongo Keene and US content creator JManGo amongst others.
For Daniels, who grew up in the small rural community of Pipiwai in northern New Zealand, competing in the event is deeply personal.
“Ultimately I’m a Māori girl from a small town on a mission,” Daniels says.
“I’m always looking to bring my best - whether that’s from the Manu platform or in the ring.”
Event director Scott Rice says the competition reflects a tradition that many New Zealanders recognise instantly.
“The Manu is something generations of Kiwis have grown up doing,” Rice says.
“But what’s incredible is the level people have taken it to - huge jumps, perfect form and enormous splashes. What started as backyard and wharf competitions has now become a serious spectacle.”
At the Grand Final, 135 finalists will compete across youth and adult divisions, with competitors judged on the height and impact of their splash.
A special freestyle category called “Anything But a Manu” encourages creative entries that depart from the traditional V-shape technique.
To measure the results, the event uses a purpose-built digital scoring system known as ManuTech. Developed with sports biomechanics experts at Auckland University of Technology, the system measures splash height while underwater hydrophones capture the distinctive “pop” sound created when a diver hits the water.
The championship has also attracted major sporting names in previous years. Olympians Hamish Carter, Steve Ferguson, and Sam Tanner have all taken part, while former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick has previously leapt from the event’s custom-built seven-metre platform.
The Grand Final transforms Auckland’s waterfront into a purpose-built arena, with competitors launching from the towering platform into the harbour below.
For Daniels, however, the appeal remains simple.
“Manu is about having fun and bringing people together,” she says. “It’s something that connects you to home.”
The Z Manu World Champs Grand Final will take place at Karanga Plaza on Auckland’s waterfront on Saturday 14 March, as part of Moana Auckland, the city’s annual ocean festival.
ENDS
