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Warilla Barrack Point SLSC has claimed an impressive three-peat of overall point score titles as the 2025 Country Championships closed with a huge celebration from the home club and a big announcement about where the next Championships will move to.

As the dust settled from a closing Open Mixed Taplin victory which sealed the result for Warilla, Surf Life Saving NSW officials confirmed that the Country Championships would be moving north in 2026, with South West Rocks SLSC announced as the host for next year.

It wasn’t to overshadow the efforts of the South Coast club however – a truly remarkable work force and club pulling together a wonderful two years of the event and reaping the rewards on the beach and in the ocean as well.

Warilla leapt to the top of the point score on day one and never really looked back, steadily increasing the lead over Cudgen Headland SLSC across the weekend and into the finals package on Sunday 26 January.

The Country powerhouses traded blows on Sunday – including victories across the Iron and Taplin programs – but it was Warilla who would confirm their third straight overall point score victory just before the event moves back to the Mid North Coast.

A huge result for Broulee Surfers SLSC was also confirmed today – the impressive squad assembled on the Far South Coast rounded out the podium, improving their 2024 performance by one place.

Yamba SLSC – ever the quiet achievers – finished in fourth place and Woolgoolga SLSC managed to complete their mission set out before the Championships by climbing into the top five.

The final day began with the iconic March Past – an incredible exhibition of one of the movement’s oldest traditions. Byron Bay SLSC won the Junior event and Sawtell SLSC was the Open winner.

In the swims – the first finals events of the day – Saul Easman continued Sawtell’s early hot start with a win in the U15 Male while Ivy Miller from Warilla won the U19 Female.

An unfolding storyline across the day was whether Cudgen’s Isabella Tate could win the quadruple in the U17 Female division – being the swim, board, ski and iron – and she managed exactly that.

Meanwhile, clubmates Fletcher Burdekin won gold in the U17 Male Board and Ski, and Niamh Sharpe won the Open Female Board.

Hayley Smith also had an excellent day, with wins in both the Open Female Iron and Ski.

In the Taplins, Warilla picked up all the male categories and Cudgen the female ones, before Warilla won the Open Mixed Taplin Relay to close out the day.

For full results, visit LiveHeats.

TOP 10 OVERALL POINT SCORE CLUBS

Warilla Barrack Point SLSC

Cudgen Headland SLSC

Broulee Surfers SLSC

Yamba SLSC

Woolgoolga SLSC

Byron Bay SLSC

Port Macquarie SLSC

Black Head SLSC

Coffs Harbour SLSC

Mollymook SLSC

Sunday 26 January 2025