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2025 NFFD Competition Winners

Congratulations to this year’s winners, announced June 22 at events across Aotearoa!

All long-listed stories will be published at the end of June. Watch Flash Frontier for updates.

ADULT

FIRST

The Golden Glove by Claris Harvey, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

SECOND

The imaginary boss by Gretchen Carroll, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

THIRD

Saturday evening lessons by Jack Remiel Cottrell, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Highly Commended:

Hitler’s Elephant by Susan Barker, Waipū

How it is by Sara Crane, Parua Bay, Whangārei Heads

Prepper by Sue Kingham, Ōtautahi Christchurch

The brain is so bitter by Rachel Sawaya, Hamilton

Commended:

Badger by Gerard O’Brien, Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington

Roots by Caroline Masters, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Eternity by Claris Harvey, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

SHORT LIST

Counting Story by Malory Campbell, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Randy muses on Juniper Street by Shreyasi Majumdar, Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington

LONG LIST

Charlie’s Dad by Tim Saunders, Papaioea Palmerston North

Dad and the garden shed by Phoebe Robertson, Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington

In Small Moments, Blazing by Mereana Latimer, Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington

Mingus by Mereana Latimer, Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington

The Curators by Anna Granger, Whanganui

The Outgoing Tide by Deborah Jowitt, Whangārei

YOUTH

First place equal

Fool’s Gold by Samuel Hu, age 14, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Silent Song by Lucy Kennedy, age 17, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Second place

The Weight by Rowe Palmer, age 16, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Third place

Hey look. You peeled your own orange today. by Darzel Martinez, age 17, Manurewa, Manukau

Highly Commended

2:38 am by Sophie Hearns, age 18, Ōtepoti Dunedin

Commended

She doesn’t get the music I listen to by Cooper Harris, age 17, Ōtautahi Christchurch

SHORT LIST

Branches by Farah Langridge, age 15, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Elephant eyes by Samuela Noel Dsouza, age 16, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Inward Folded Wings by Samuela Noel Dsouza, age 16, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Temperature of Heaven by Kangwoo Moon, age 14, Ōtautahi Christchurch

The gun fires by Hudson Blyde, age 13, Ōtautahi Christchurch

When it’s done by Lucy Kennedy, age 17, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

LONG LIST

10:00 am by Cicy Chen, age 15, Ōtautahi Christchurch

and I’m feeling like by Tom Ambury, age 14, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Blow, Wind, Blow by Sarah I-Xin Tan, age 16, Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington

Charged by Kaylee Mete, age 15, Gisborne

Crushes and Chemistry by Cicy Chen, age 15, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Fishing by Desmond Lee, age 16, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Inside a chicken’s mind by June Baker, age 11, Southland, New Zealand

Julia Peter Woolshed Interior (Land girls working in a wool shed) 1944 by Penny Dai, age 17, Ōtautahi Christchurch

July 21, 1969 by Sophie Hearns, age 18, Ōtepoti Dunedin

Let the Bird Go Free by Sarah I-Xin Tan, age 16, Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington

Mirror Image by Sophie Hearns, age 18, Ōtepoti Dunedin

Playing Cards by Jessica Hurrell, age 15, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Rarotongan Dogs by Tom Ambury, age 14, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Starshine by Joanne Ng, age 14, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Superdog! By Annabelle Cross, age 10, Ōtautahi Christchurch

The Crab’s Home by Cooper Gallagher, age 17, Ōtautahi Christchurch

The Loon by Cooper Gallagher, age 17, Ōtautahi Christchurch

The Music by Chloe McFedries, age 15, Ōtautahi Christchurch

The Star Child by Mia Zhang, age 11, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Under the Trees They Left by Ash Millward, Age 17, Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington

War by Lena Shinn, age 13, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Wednesday Afternoon by Annalie Marshall, age 16, Ōtautahi Christchurch

Who am I? by Danica Neels, age 16, Ōtautahi Christchurch