More than two decades after it last hosted the Country Surf Life Saving Championships, the premier event for regional-based surf life saving clubs will be held at Cape Hawke SLSC at Forster in a deal set to span across the 2022 and 2023 events.
It will serve as the fourth and fifth time that Cape Hawke has played host to the event, having previously done so in the 80s and 90s, and then again at the turn of the century.
The Country Championships is second only to the NSW Surf Life Saving Championships in size with an expected 1,500 competitors, 200 officials and around 4,000 spectators over the three day event.
Surf Life Saving NSW Director of Surf Sport, Don van Kiempema said the location, as well as the beach itself, would prove an ideal setting for the event.
“The location with nearby Forster Tuncurry as a major coastal centre in the region provides excellent accommodation options for participants,” he said.
“Its location on the NSW lower north coast will ensure accessibility for all country clubs north of the Hunter as well as reasonable proximity for our southern participants.
“Cape Hawke beach is an excellent physical location to host the Championships in terms of prevailing conditions, accessibility and beach size.”
The organising committee behind Cape Hawke’s bid for the Country Championships has solid experience hosting large events, including rounds of the Sharkskin IRB Premiership series in recent years.
The 2022 Country Championships will run from January 28 to January 30.
Wednesday 8 September 2021