Aussies 2026 – Pāpāmoa Proud on the Gold Coast

What an amazing experience for our small Pāpāmoa Surf Life Saving Club squad, who recently competed at the 2026 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships at North Kirra on the Gold Coast.

With more than 300 clubs represented and enormous field sizes, racing at Aussies is always a step up — and our athletes met the challenge head‑on across both the Youth and Open championships.

Youth Championships – Learning, Grit and Big Highlights

Our Youth Champs team of Toby Bowling, Will Magill, Caitlyn Strange and Charlotte Cairns took on two days of tough competition, representing both themselves and Pāpāmoa with pride.

For many, this was their first taste of Aussie Nationals — an eye‑opening experience with huge fields (often 140–160 athletes per race), severe cuts each round, and challenging beach and ocean conditions. Strong drifts, gullies and banks meant athletes needed their A‑game every time they lined up.

All four athletes showed grit and determination, progressing through multiple rounds and gaining invaluable experience.

A special mention to Caitlyn Strange, who delivered a standout performance by reaching the U14 Female Beach Sprints Final, finishing an impressive 8th overall.

It was a brilliant learning opportunity for the whole group and an experience they won’t forget.

Open Championships – Tough Conditions, Tough Racing

Our Open Champs athletes — Sophie Bowling, Luke Gillbanks, Oliver Pepers, Sean Leach and Lockie Cairns — faced five demanding days of racing against some of the best surf athletes in the world.

With constantly changing conditions, strong cross‑drifts and heavy swells early in the programme, every race required maximum effort. Combined with programme changes and event clashes, not all athletes could compete in everything they’d planned — but resilience and adaptability were on full display all week.

Across individual and team events, our athletes fought their way through rounds, narrowly missing semifinals and finals by just one or two places in many cases. Every athlete represented Pāpāmoa proudly, showing determination and composure in one of the toughest surf sport environments.

It was also great to reconnect with and support our Australian‑based clubbies Amelie Pearson and Trelise Chote, racing for their Aussie clubs. A special shout‑out to Trelise Chote, who (representing Noosa Heads) made the U19 Female Surf and Board Race Finals and claimed a Bronze medal in the Tube Rescue.

Thank You to Our Support Crew

The Aussies group would like to sincerely thank everyone who supported fundraising efforts throughout the year — including office staff, board members and committees who provided opportunities to help get the team to the start line.

A big thank you to Scales Logistics and Nutrikiwi for their incredible logistical support, particularly with transporting boards to Australia. Thanks also to Sonic Surf Craft and Noosa Heads coach Mike Janes for lending skis for competition.

Finally, heartfelt thanks to our parents for their unwavering support, and to our athletes and coach Jake Cowdrey, whose commitment, work ethic and positivity made this trip such a memorable and rewarding experience.

Photos kindly supplied by Clare Pepers and Radleigh Cairns.