A supercharged surfboat series is set to hit the Surf Sports calendar in 2024 – the latest move by Surf Life Saving NSW to streamline representative pathways for athletes of all disciplines across the state.
The establishment of the Surfboat Interseries, set for a shotgun start in April next year, will become the latest sport to align itself under a regionalised team representative model following the Super Surf Teams League (SSTL), with the best crews from within the five surfboat series in NSW to compete in a high-octane Championship event.
It comes just over a month after SLSNSW introduced the Surf Sports Academies to the NSW surf sport ecosystem providing 15 and 16 year old athletes with the opportunity to access professional athlete services relating to strength and conditioning, sports nutrition, sports psychology, media skills, preparing for performance and injury prevention.
“This was a strategic decision driven by the Boat Series Chairs, the SLSNSW Surfboat Panel and the SLSNSW Surf Sports Standing Committee to provide a clear representative pathway within a very well established, and contemporary surfboat competition calendar,” SLSNSW Surf Sports Manager, Jim Pinnington said.
“Alignment of participant pathways across all disciplines is a critical component of our strategy, Surf Sports Re-Imagined and this initiative was the next step to ensuring a coherent sports pathway in NSW.
“Super Surf Teams League and the Surfboat Interseries Championships sit directly under Interstate Representation in the pathway and is now supported by the introduction of sports academies.”
The competition will follow the current surfboat Interstate format, with eight crews competing in the U19, U23, Reserve and Open crew divisions (male and female). Crews will be selected from within their respective Boat Series.
In addition to the Interseries Championship held on the Sunday, Saturday’s competition will see the City and Country Championships contested.
“The launch of the Interseries Championships, coinciding with City and Country Championships on the same weekend in April, positions the weekend as one of the premier weekends for surfboats in NSW. Championship medals will be on the line,” SLSNSW Chair of Surf Sports, Don van Keimpema OAM said.
“The timing of the inaugural Interseries Championships weekend will provide NSW crews with one final tune up before The Aussies.”
The Interseries Championships, and the City and Country Championships will be staged on the weekend of 6-7 April 2024 at Ocean Beach SLSC.
Tuesday 14 November 2023