A cool start on the thermometer but a hot one on the sand and in the surf – the 2026 NSW Country Championships kicked off today, Friday 23 January, and saw hundreds of athletes strut their stuff at South West Rocks surf club.
An overcast day greeted competitors on the state’s Mid North Coast, and relatively timid conditions made for great racing for the younger age groups – conditions conducive to power and skill brought the best out of all age groups who tested themselves in the water on day one.
While most water events worked through heats and semis, with a finals package set down for Sunday, many beach events awarded new Country champions.
Moruya SLSC’s Zara Hall made her long trip north all the more worthwhile with a devastating trio of wins in the U17 Female Sprint, and the U17 and Open Female Flags. Also from the Far South Coast, Luke Drewsen (Broulee Surfers SLSC) grabbed gold in the Open Male Flags to cap a great start for the southern branch.
Aaron Lea from Cape Hawke SLSC held off club mate, Reece Dodds and Broulee’s Graham Martin-Dye to claim the 40-49 Male Flags, while Bev Ward (Cudgen Headland SLSC) won a hotly contested 50-59 Female Flags.
Lennox Head Alstonville SLSC’s Molly Pritchard claimed the win in the U15 Female Flags ahead of a pair of Wauchope Bonny Hills SLSC teens, Mabel Strong and Zada Robinson.
The colour of the carnival always comes from the U8 competitors who are taking part in their first major surf sports competition, and the camaraderie shared by the athletes was a highlight of the day.
One of the Championships’ great names – Rafael Yopp from Byron Bay SLSC – took out the U8 Male Flags and Cudgen Headland had both Jack Mumford and Alexa Smith dominate the category on the sand and in the water for the Wade event.
Also in the water, Gerringong SLSC’s team of Kendall Payne, Hudson Alchin and Henry Mathies won the U14 Mixed Board Relay, while Yamba SLSC’s Clarence Doherty, Leo Dean and Gracie McLennan won the U13 Mixed Board Relay.
Yamba continued its success in the Swim Teams races, winning the Mixed U9s, U10s and U13s.
In the Irons, Harry Hamblin from Tacking Point SLSC win the U12 Male, Rylah Hopper-Buckland (Kempsey Crescent Head SLSC) won the U14 Male, and Port Macquarie SLSC’s Layla Amiri won one of many medals for the Mid North Coast club in the U12 Female.
In the distance runs at the end of the day, Alani Sims (Warilla Barrack Point SLSC) won the U17 2km Run, and Benjamin Lambert from Sawtell SLSC won the Open Male 2km.
The 2026 NSW Country Championships continues over the weekend at South West Rocks SLSC, with the Masters and Opens competition kicking into gear first up on Saturday.
Top 10 Clubs After Day 1
Cudgen Headland
Port Macquarie
Warilla Barrack Point
Yamba
Broulee Surfers
Woolgoolga
Coffs Harbour
Lennox Head Alstonville
Sawtell
Byron Bay
For event information, visit the event page. For LIVE RESULTS click here.
Friday 23 January 2026