Thousands of Nippers Ready for Perfect State Champs Conditions

The event is the State’s premier junior surf event and is being hosted again by Swansea Belmont SLSC. The future Ironmen and Ironwomen as well as potential future Olympic champions will hit the sand and waves on Friday for three days of exciting competition.

This year’s combined Age, Masters and Opens State Championship events will draw around 6,000 competitors from all over NSW, along with 600 volunteer officials and up to 15,000 family and spectators.

The Age Championships runs from Friday 28 February until Sunday 1 March with the event being live-streamed for the first time on Saturday and Sunday.

The first ‘unofficial’ event was held at Bulli beach on 6 February 1966 with over 1,000 competitors representing 37 clubs ahead of the first official event at Merewether in 1968.

Swansea Belmont SLSC President Graham Burge said despite recent storms, the workforce has been working overtime to prepare the beach for the event. “We’ve lost a bit of sand over the last couple of weeks but it’s starting to come back. Everyone has been putting in their all so the schedule of events can run to plan,” he said.

“We’re all looking forward to having everyone back to enjoy our beach. State Champs is always a huge weekend and it’s the opportunity for the kids to get out there and enjoy themselves in the water and on the sand as well as in the festival area,” said Burge.

52 years after the first official event almost 2,700 of the Surf Life Saving movement’s youngest members (8-14 years old - U9-U14) will compete across 30 events in both male and female divisions.

Water events: Iron man and Iron woman, Surf Race, Board Race.

Beach events: Flags, Sprint, 1km Beach Run (U11, 12, 13), 2 km Beach Run (U14)

Teams events: Board Relay, Board Rescue, Swim Teams, March Past, Cameron Relay, Mixed Cameron Relay, Beach Relay, Mixed Beach Relay.

In 2019 one of the premier events, the All-Age Beach Relay was won by Freshwater and the All-Age Board Relay won by Wamberal SLSC, narrowly beating Manly LSC.

While Newport dominated many events and Sydney clubs had the sheer volume in participants, it was Hunter club Cooks Hill who took out the Age Championships overall point score last year. The 2019 Cooks Hill win proves it’s not all about the size of the club when it comes to success.

Conditions for the weekend look great says Swansea Belmont coach Jeff Mowbray. “What we’ve got is a low tide early - perfect for the start of the carnival and low tides around lunch time. They’re not big tides so there’s enough beach for all events,” he said.

“The swell is down to about half a metre. I think it will be a good weekend with the right conditions in the water and easterly breeze will mean a nice sea breeze to keep everyone cool. The southerly could increase the wave height slightly for finals on Sunday but will be perfect for the kids,” said Mowbray.

“Blacksmiths always puts up fair conditions in the ocean with one wave breaking across the whole race area so there are no easy avenues,” said Graham Burge.

The Swansea Belmont home team has been training under the guidance of Australian and NSW champions and are ready to challenge Cooks Hill this year. “We finished just outside the top three last year,” said Burge. “The kids have been training hard and are as keen as mustard for the event to start. " 

The 2020 event also features the second Your Local Club Inclusive Championships that will be held on Sunday 1 March after the March Past. The Inclusive events include Beach Sprints, Flags, Board as well as a Surf Race and Wade – conditions pending.

The Inclusive events aim to provide a fun and competitive pathway for the 34 NSW clubs who run Inclusive weekend programs for their members.

Surf Life Saving Director of Surf Sports Don van Keimpema said it’s great to see the surf sports side of the movement continuing to flourish. “We’re looking forward to a great weekend with thousands of Nippers descending on Blacksmiths Beach,” said van Keimpema.

“Each year we see these young athletes and future lifesavers get better and faster. Our sport has a bright future,” he said, “and it’s fantastic to see it on display combined with the amazing energy of the kids and their families for the State Championships.”

For the Under 8s competitors, it will be their first State Championships. New Wade, Flags and Sprint champions will be crowned ahead of what can be a life-long annual sporting event for some competitors.

Watch the event live on Surf Life Saving NSW Facebook or Youtube (@surflifesavingnsw) from 8am on Saturday and Sunday.

Competing Clubs and Competitors

Far North Coast (6 clubs) 68

Cudgen Headland, Byron Bay, Lennox Head-Alstonville, Ballina Lighthouse and Lismore, Salt, Yamba.

North Coast (2 clubs) 14

Sawtell, Coffs Harbour.

Mid North Coast (3 clubs) 12

Wauchope Bonny Hills, Port Macquarie, Tacking Point.

Lower North Coast (3 clubs) 17

Black Head, Cape Hawke, Forster.

Hunter (10 clubs) 321

Swansea Belmont, Redhead, Merewether, Cooks Hill, Stockton, Caves Beach, Catherine Hill Bay, Fingal Beach, Tea Gardens Hawks Nest, Dixon Park.

Central Coast (14 clubs) 486

Wamberal, Shelley Beach, MacMasters, Avoca Beach, The Lakes, North Entrance, Terrigal, North Avoca, Ocean Beach, Umina, Killcare, Copacabana, Soldiers Beach, Toowoon Bay.

Sydney Northern Beaches (15 clubs) 513

Manly, North Curl Curl, Collaroy, Mona Vale, North Steyne, Newport, Avalon Beach, Freshwater, North Narrabeen, Queenscliff, Dee Why, Warriewood, Long Reef, Bilgola, Narrabeen Beach.

Sydney (13 clubs) 1067

Bronte, Wanda, North Cronulla, Cronulla, Bondi, North Bondi, Elouera, South Maroubra, Maroubra, Coogee, Clovelly, Burning Palms, Tamarama.

Illawarra (9 clubs) 101

Towradgi, North Wollongong, Corrimal, Scarborough Wombarra, Austinmer, Helensburgh-Stanwell Park.

South Coast (5 clubs) 52

Warilla Barrack Point, Kiama Downs, Kiama, Mollymook, Shellharbour.

Far South Coast (1 club) 3

Broulee Surfers

 

Wednesday 26 February 2020