Back to the home of the Manu: South Auckland welcomes return of World Championship

In South Auckland, the Manu is more than a bomb. It is a language, a memory, a challenge passed down through families.

The Manu is a Pacific-style bomb dive, where the jumper tucks their knees and lands flat to create the biggest possible splash.

This weekend, that story comes alive as the Z Manu World Champs return to Māngere for the first Auckland qualifier of the new season.

The event will be held at Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Pool, a place many in the Pacific community see as the spiritual home of the Manu.

For generations, locals have learnt to leap, twist, and land with force here, chasing the biggest splash and the loudest cheer.

Māngere’s link to the Manu runs deep. Some say the name itself is tied to the move.

Families and supporters gather poolside in Māngere, where the Manu is more than a bomb- it is a Pacific tradition passed down through generations. Photo/Supplied/Ant Farac

Long before the sport had sponsors and sensors, huge bombs were known as “Māngeres”, named after the suburb where they were thrown with pride and skill.

Last year, Māngere delivered one of the most powerful moments in Manu history. A mother and daughter faced off in the pool. Fa’atupuinati Berking went on to become the 2024 Adult Female Champion, beating her own mum, Honani “Nunz” Berking.

Honani, a former lifeguard, taught her daughter how to Manu as a child while working at South Auckland pools, including Māngere. Their showdown was not just about winning. It was about family, teaching, and passing on Pacific knowledge.

This weekend’s Māngere Styles Comp is already buzzing. More than 150 competitors have signed up, filling all pre-registrations. Only eight will earn automatic spots at the national Grand Final in March, and everyone knows Māngere is not an easy place to qualify.

Sapphira Mohi-Williams is one of those stepping up. She came second in her division at last year’s Grand Final but missed out on a Māngere spot, so had to qualify in Hamilton instead. Now she is back and feeling the pressure.

“Māngere feels like the home of manu, so it will be a really good challenge,” she says. “I’m excited.”

From Māngere, the Z Manu World Champs will travel across Aotearoa, stopping in Whangārei, Hamilton and Wellington, before heading to the Gold Coast for the first-ever international qualifier. More events will follow in Palmerston North and Nelson, before Auckland qualifiers begin again at the end of February.

The scale of the competition keeps growing. Last year, more than 2000 people took part around the country. Finalists from Hastings, Dunedin, and Tauranga have already locked in their places at the Grand Final.

One of them is Hastings local Javan Pahau. He dominated his qualifier, winning both the Adult Male division and the “Anything But a Manu” category.

The height and force of a Manu splash is what competitors chase, with bragging rights and a place in the national final on the line. Photo/Supplied/Ant Farac

After missing the finals last year and spending time out with a shoulder injury, his return has been emotional.

“I am stoked,” Pahau says. “I’ve been bombing since I was 10 years old. That was my first bomb of the season, and I can’t wait to get to the Grand Final in Auckland.”

The season will end with a big statement. The national Grand Final will be held on Auckland’s waterfront as part of Moana Auckland, with a custom-built seven-metre platform in the Viaduct. Splash height and sound will be measured using ManuTech, turning backyard bragging rights into hard numbers.

But for many, the heart of the Manu will always be Māngere. As competitors line up this weekend, they are not just chasing points. They are honouring a place, a people and a Pacific tradition that continues to make waves.