Former All Black Piri Weepu Set to Make a Splash at Z Manu World Champs Grand Final

Former Piri Weepu will swap the rugby field for the Manu platform this weekend, competing in the Grand Final of the Z Manu World Champs on Saturday 14 March on Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour in New Zealand.

More than 2,000 manu enthusiasts have taken part in regional qualifiers across New Zealand and an international qualifier on Australia’s Gold Coast to earn their place in the Grand Final. The Manu - a classic V-shaped dive bomb designed to create the biggest possible splash - is a summer tradition across New Zealand, performed everywhere from backyard pools to wharves, rivers and lakes.

Weepu (Te Ātiawa, Ngāi Tahu, Te Whakatōhea) will compete in the Famous Faces division alongside world champion boxer Lani Daniels, acclaimed chef Peter Gordon, and MP Mark Mitchell, who famously joined the competition spontaneously last year and has officially registered this time around.

Also taking part are Charlie Pomee, K'Lee, Azura Lane, Paralympic champion Cameron Leslie, strongman Rongo Keene – known as “The Warrior” – travelling US content creator JManGo, and actor Bruce Hopkins, best known internationally for his role as Gamling in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

For Weepu, the event is about celebrating a classic Kiwi pastime while also highlighting the importance of staying safe in the water.

“Manu is something we’ve all grown up doing in spots around the country,” says Weepu.

“Manu skills get passed from person to person and within families. That’s why we’ll see so many parents and kids participating together this weekend, it’s pretty awesome.”

“Māori in particular have a special connection to water, including as a source of kai,” Weepu says. “But we’re also masters at the manu. The Manu World Champs are a chance to share that knowledge and show how to put safety first while still having fun.”

Weepu says the event also provides an important platform to talk about water safety, particularly for young New Zealanders.

“This is an opportunity to demonstrate both our skills and our smarts,” he says.

“The team have literally created a platform to talk about this - a seven-metre-high one right in the middle of the harbour. It definitely draws attention.”

In Aotearoa, drowning statistics remain a serious issue, particularly among Māori and Pasifika communities.

“No matter how good you are at tricks, safety is key”, Weepu says.

“Knowing your limits and being mindful of them is essential for keeping everyone safe.”

Weepu is also cheering on his niece Zerenity Mill-Simpson, the reigning Youth Female champion, who returns to defend her title at this year’s Grand Final.

Event Director Scott Rice says having someone with Weepu’s profile involved in the competition helps reinforce the event’s message.

“It’s awesome to have people like Piri involved who carry such mana in the community,” Rice says.

“Kids look up to him, and events like this bring communities together while also reminding everyone to take care in and around the water.”

Splash height in the Famous Faces competition will be measured using the event’s ManuTech system, which captures splash height while underwater hydrophones measure the distinctive “pop” sound created on impact.

Donations to Water Safety New Zealand, a partner of the Z Manu World Champs, will be made based on the splash height achieved by each celebrity competitor.

Funds raised help support the organisation’s Water Skills for Life programme, which provides water safety lessons for children across the country.

The Grand Final of the Z Manu World Champs will be held at Karanga Plaza in Viaduct Harbour on Saturday March 14 as part of Moana Auckland.

ENDS