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CHRISTCHURCH LOCALS:<br />
SABRINA WEBER<br />
AUMOANA SURF SHOP<br />
Without doubt, one of<br />
the fun days surfing of our<br />
whole trip. Great waves<br />
and great boards.<br />
Sometimes you get a true sense about a place from the<br />
people who move to the region rather than those who<br />
were born there. After four major quakes and countless<br />
aftershocks you can understand why many have<br />
chosen to move away from Christchurch. Family ties<br />
and lifelong friendships are hard to leave behind but<br />
self-preservation and care for your immediate family is<br />
a strong motivation.<br />
But what happens when you are not born in the<br />
region, have no strings tying you there and yet still<br />
choose to stay. It says a lot about Christchurch and<br />
the community that call it home.<br />
Sabrina Weber is Swiss and opened the doors to<br />
her unique little surf shop, Aumoana, in April 2010 in<br />
Sumner, a beautiful beachside suburb of Christchurch.<br />
Many retailers in the surf industry have done it tough<br />
over the last two years but none tougher than Sabrina.<br />
The February 20<strong>11</strong> earthquake alone saw Sumner<br />
experience several major rockslides and damage.<br />
Pollutants kept surfers out of the water for seveneight<br />
months, and Sabrina’s shop is less than 100m<br />
from the beach. Despite all of this, we walk through<br />
her door and are greeted by the most friendly,<br />
welcoming young lady you would meet.<br />
“My partner and I are both Swiss and love surfing and<br />
snowboarding. We moved to the south island of New<br />
Zealand because we can do both within a few hours<br />
each way. I can even skateboard to and from work.<br />
“Christchurch is the only place I want to live. We<br />
have a great community. Everyone has been really<br />
supportive of us through this time. They always have<br />
been but realise that even more otherwise they will<br />
have to get their surfboards from China.” (laughs)<br />
Aumoana stocks some of New Zealand’s best<br />
handshaped boards, including Sadhana.<br />
“We are always on the lookout for the best brands<br />
for the best people and always something a little<br />
different!”<br />
Yes, Sabrina and her shop are all class.<br />
may/jun <strong>2012</strong><br />
99
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