Photo: Surfing Australia/Andrew Shield
Three local schools had teams in this year’s Australian Interschools Surfing Championships: – Barrenjoey High School: 6 teams, 3 in Juniors and 3 in Seniors, St Augustine's College: 7 Teams – 3 Senior and 4 Junior teams, and St Luke's Grammar School Northern Beaches had 2 Senior Boys Teams.
The Australian Interschools Surfing Championships officially kicked off on Wednesday the 13th of May with an inspiring Opening Ceremony at the Broadbeach Cultural Centre Auditorium. More than 500 students from schools across the nation came together to celebrate the start of what will be an unforgettable two days of surfing and team spirit.
A highlight of the ceremony was the symbolic ‘Mixing of the Sands’, teams blended sand from their local beaches, to celebrate unity and a shared passion for surfing.
The opening ceremony also featured a high-profile guest panel including 1978 World Champion and Surfing Legend Wayne 'Rabbit' Bartholomew, ISA World Junior Surfing Champion Ziggy Mackenzie, Former Championship Tour Surfer India Robinson, and Surfing Australia High Performance Coach Pete Duncan.
Other speakers included, Kal Glanznig and Cooper Chapman from Blue Minds, who shared an inspiring message with students, encouraging them to look after their mental health and protect the ocean they love. Their words resonated deeply with the young audience.
Chris Symington, Surfing Australia Chief Executive Officer, couldn't be more excited to see teams surfing at a school level rise to such popularity.
"This event has grown incredibly quickly over the past three years, and it’s exciting to now see more than 500 students from schools right across the country coming together on the Gold Coast in 2026. While the focus is certainly on high performance surfing, what really stands out is the energy, school spirit, and positivity these students bring to the event.
The Gold Coast is such a wave-rich destination, and even this time of year we’re blessed with sunshine and a huge variety of quality surf, which creates an amazing canvas for the students to perform at their best.
At its core, surfing has always been about community, and seeing so many schools unite through a shared passion for the sport makes this event incredibly special, not just for competitive surfing, but for the broader surfing lifestyle and culture as well.”
1978 World Champion and Surfing Legend Wayne 'Rabbit' Bartholomew said it's incredible to see so many students from all around the country come together:
"We’ve got students here from right across Australia representing their states, schools, and families, which makes for such a dynamic and exciting gathering.
What’s so special about this event is the connection and friendships that are formed along the way. Australia is such a vast country, and for these young surfers to come together through a shared passion creates bonds that can genuinely last a lifetime.
Competing at a national level also brings a new level of pressure and prestige. For many of these students, it may be their first experience representing something bigger than their local club. In the unique tag team format, they learn the importance of supporting one another, working together under pressure, and contributing to a team environment. It’s an experience that goes far beyond surfing and plays a really valuable role in their personal development.”
ISA World Junior Surfing Champion Ziggy Mackenzie offered advice to the 500+ students gathered today:
"I’ve come to realise that I always surf my best and get my best competitive results when I’m simply having fun. So my advice to everyone here today is to enjoy every moment as much as possible. Looking ahead, enjoy the journey, trust the process, and embrace the learning along the way. Most importantly, always remember that surfing is supposed to be fun."
Photos; Guest panel featuring Wayne 'Rabbit' Bartholomew, India Robinson, Ziggy Mackenzie and Pete Duncan at the Opening Ceremony of the Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka. Images: Surfing Australia/Andrew Shield
Cooper Chapman from Blue Minds
The BHS Surf Team had 20 students all up with these and the P and C raising over16k to defray the costs of attending for students and families.
The BHS Team was:
- Barrenjoey Senior Boys Team 1: Kaoni A., Miguel S. and Nate G.
- Barrenjoey Senior Boys Team 2: Archer M., Clyde B. and Ted B.
- Barrenjoey Senior Boys Team 3: Romeo McB., Max McC. and Aive O.
- Barrenjoey Junior Boys Team 1: Nico D., Xavier Van Der W. and Harvey C
- Barrenjoey Junior Boys Team 2: Sol M.r, Louie G. and Cassius B.
- Barrenjoey Junior Boys Team 3: Luca H,, Rocky R. and Mac N.
Barrenjoey Interschools Surfing Championships campaign was off to an incredible start with all teams making it through to the third round after Day 1 of competition.
On Day 2 finals day and the standard was high across the board. Unfortunately, all senior teams were eliminated in the morning in their third-round heats after some hard-fought performances. A massive effort from every surfer involved.
The three junior teams kept going battling for a place in the semi-finals. Overall there was a huge effort from all teams and some fantastic results to be proud of.
The St Augustine's Team included 2025 Australian U18 Champion Ben Zanatta:
- St Augustine's College Sydney Senior Boys Team 1: Barney H., Eden A. and Ben Z.
- St Augustine's College Sydney Senior Boys Team 2: Harris C., Mateo H. and Alex R.
- St Augustine's College Sydney Senior Boys Team 3: Max G., Jayden Mcm. and Seb C.
- St Augustine's College Sydney Junior Boys Team 1: Charlie Mcd., Xavier C. and Clint G.
- St Augustine's College Sydney Junior Boys Team 2: Tate S., Oliver S.L. and Lennox N.
- St Augustine's College Sydney Junior Boys Team 3: Hunter P., Johnny H..and Ben T.
- St Augustine's College Sydney Junior Boys Team 4: Archer M., Harry H. and Jed N.
St Luke's Grammar School Team included:
- St Luke's Grammar School Northern Beaches Senior Boys Team 2: Oscar D.y, Cooper O. and Harry W -D.
- St Luke's Grammar School Northern Beaches Senior Boys Team 1: Wil V., Max D.and Loki B.
No local girls participating this year but Xavier Catholic College at Llandilo and St Peters Anglican College Broulee, Bulli High School and Bulli High School had Seniors and Junior Girls Teams and Newman Senior Tech College had Senior Girls representing New South Wales.
Among these teams were also students and athletes from Cooee GC, a Queensland Department of Education campus, run as part of Elanora State High School, that uses surfing as a vehicle towards student pathways and success in Years 11 and 12.
The Queensland Department of Education states in an insight:
‘Students at Cooee GC start the school day at the beach with a 6am training session with a surf coach. After surf coaching, students head to Elanora State High School for their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) core subjects from 9am to 1pm: English, Mathematics, Tourism, and Sport and Recreation.
The Cooee GC school week is catered to each student's unique pathway. On different days, students attend their chosen apprenticeships, traineeships, certificate courses or work that contributes to their QCE.’
From; Surfing and pathways education—a recipe for confident and prepared graduates - Doing school differently -; insight from Tiarna McGee, Lifeguard, Pottsville northern NSW, at; /alt-qed.qed.qld.gov.au/about-us/news-and-media/stories/surfing-and-pathways
Another example of Queensland schools focused on sports and surfing in particular is the Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School – not the Lindisfarne of Tasmania, although the Hutchens School in Hobart did have a team surfing for that state, but one up north.
In 2025 Surfing Australia announced it is proud to have Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School as its official school-based education partner. Lindisfarne is a high-quality, independent, Anglican, co-educational grammar school that serves the southern Gold Coast, Tweed Coast and northern New South Wales.
'Lindisfarne provides the distinctive identity, relationships, learning and leadership that will support Academy athletes in achieving their surfing potential, without having to compromise their education. From; https://surfingaustralia.com/academy/
Lindisfarne had both girls and boys teams in each division, seniors and juniors.
With victories in 2024 and 2025, two-time defending School Champions Palm Beach Currumbin High School (PBC) are a great example of the surfing that comes out of public schools. PBC Surfing Excellence Program Manager, Blair Semple, said his squad would embrace the challenge of going for a third consecutive title in 2026:
"We’re looking forward to be back competing for the third year of the event. It’s going from strength to strength each year and it’s great to see so many schools from across the country turning up to battle it out on the Gold Coast beaches."
The Gold Coast’s beaches provide the perfect location for the 2026 Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka. Competitors can expect really fun conditions, with surf in the chest to head-high range and mostly offshore winds from the south-southeast, at the world-famous Kirra Point—offering an ideal playing field for students to perform at their best.
City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said:
“There is no better place to host the Australian Interschools Surfing Championships than right here on the Gold Coast. These championships provide a unique opportunity for our future surf stars and world champions to compete in both individual and tag team formats. It’s time to showcase their skills across the open surf breaks at Miami Beach.”
With a promising forecast lining up at the world-class Kirra Point, more than 500 of the nation’s best school surfers delivered an incredible display of talent at the 2026 Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka. Featuring one of the deepest and most exciting fields in the event’s history, the championships promised to be the ultimate showcase of school surfing, and the perfect stage for Australia’s next generation of surfing stars to shine, and lived up to all of that.
The Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka is open to all secondary schools - government, Catholic, and independent - across the nation, with divisions for boys and girls from Year 7 to 12. As Australia’s premier school surfing event, it showcases the nation's next generation of surfing superstars.
Finals Day
Palm Beach Currumbin secured their place as the nation's best surfing school for the third year running at the Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka at Kirra Beach on the Gold Coast.
2026 saw a record-breaking number of participants, with over 500 students and 120 teams. Featuring one of the deepest and most exciting fields in the event’s history, the championships are the nation's ultimate showcase of school surfing!
The opening day of competition got underway with clean 2-foot conditions at the iconic Kirra Beach, delivering a full day of high-energy performances and school spirit.
The unique tag team format set the stage for an electric atmosphere, with strong team camaraderie and plenty of cheer from the beach as surfers pushed the standard of school surfing to new heights. Rivalries between schools added a fierce competitive edge, with every heat hard-fought and action-packed.
Consistent standout performances came from Miami SHS, Palm Beach Currumbin, and Lindisfarne, all having several teams moving through to the finals, and posting multiple waves in the excellent range.
Friday's Finals Day did not disappoint, with electric performances and edge-of-your-seat finishes crowning a new wave of school surfing champions!
In the Ford Australia Senior Women’s Final, Palm Beach Currumbin rose to the occasion with a smart and strategic approach. Through careful wave selection and composed team surfing, they posted a combined heat total of 18.30, securing a well-earned victory.
Palm Beach Currumbin also had two girls' teams qualify for the Fuji Film Photo Junior Girls Final, which saw Palm Beach Currumbin Junior Girls Team 2 take the win over St Andrews Anglican College Junior Girls Team Red.
Palm Beach Currumbin Junior Girls Surfer, Navah Holmes, spoke on the school's incredible depth of talent:
"We [Palm Beach Currumbin] are really lucky that we have six junior girls to make up two teams. The coaches evened each team out fairly, and it's worked well, we both made the final!"
"We do three training sessions a week at school, two surfing, one in the gym, and it helps because we get to practice the tag team during that time! It feels really cool to represent my school on a national scale, especially since we're all really good friends."
In the Breaka Senior Men’s Final, Palm Beach Currumbin, Sunshine Beach SHS, and St. Augustine's College Sydney went wave for wave in a high-intensity battle. But it was Palm Beach Currumbin who delivered the stronger all-round team performance, edging ahead to take the win by just 1.1pts in a nail-biting finish!
But it was the Thermos Junior Boys who delivered the most closely contested final of the event, with just 0.03 separating first and second place. In a tightly fought finish where only two of the six teams managed to complete the course, Palm Beach Currumbin Junior Boys Team 1 once again claimed victory ahead of Miami SHS Junior Boys.
The final, however, was not without drama. In the closing seconds, Margaret River’s final Junior Boys competitor was sprinting toward the finish line, only to be slowed by a stumble that ultimately prevented him from crossing in time. Had they finished, they would have secured the win and the three points earned on completion, which would have ultimately made the difference.
Teacher and High Performance Surf Coach at Palm Beach Currumbin State High, Ben Falvey, spoke on behalf of the team about their success:
"This has gone from an event with individuals and teams, to growing so big that now there's only teams! We always put it out to the kids, and ask them if they want to be a part of it, 'give us your names, and we'll put you in!'."
"There are obviously quite a few teams that we had today. We didn't have to travel too far, but thanks to all the teams that did travel! No final was easy, we got lucky, but we were pushed right through to the end and that's exactly what growing kids in competitive surfing need! It's been a fantastic event!"
An incredible two days of surfing, the 2026 Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka showcased outstanding talent from schools all across the country.
With fun conditions on offer and a remarkably high standard of performance in the water, the event was a true celebration of school surfing and Australia's next generation of stars.
SPECIALTY AWARDS:
Thermos Wave Of The Event: Thomas Bourke - 9.67pts
Southern Cross University School Spirit Award: Margaret River Senior High School
Guzman Y Gomez Overall Performer Award: Amelia Craig - Palm Beach Currumbin
2026 Australian Interschools Surfing Championships Results:
Breaka Senior Men (YR 10, 11, 12):
- 1ST - Palm Beach Currumbin Team 1 - 18.63pts
- 2ND - Sunshine Beach SHS Team 1 - 17.53pts
- 3RD - St Augustines College Sydney Team 1 - 16.41pts
- 4TH - Miami SHS Team 1 - 16.07pts
- 5TH - Lindisfarne FANGS - 14.57pts
- 6TH - St Peters Anglican College Broulee Team 1 - 13.73pts
Ford Australia Senior Women (YR 10, 11, 12):
- 1ST - Palm Beach Currumbin Team 1 - 18.30pts
- 2ND - Cooee GC - 16.27pts
- 3RD - Margaret River - 15.97pts
- 4TH - Miami SHS - 13.70pts
- 5TH - Xavier Catholic College Team 1 - 9.76pts
- 6TH - St Peters Anglican College Broulee - 6.43pts
Thermos Junior Boys (YR 7, 8, 9):
- 1ST - Palm Beach Currumbin Boys Team 1 - 13.16pts
- 2ND - Miami SHS Team - 13.13pts
- 3RD - Palm Beach Currumbin Boys Team 3 - 11.74pts
- 4TH - Margaret River - 11.60pts
- 5TH - Palm Beach Currumbin Team 2 - 10.60pts
- 6TH - Lindisfarne MOHATUS - 6.13pts
Fuji Film Photo Junior Girls (YR 7, 8, 9):
- 1ST - Palm Beach Currumbin Team 2 - 15.10pts
- 2ND - St Andrews Anglican College Team Red - 14.07pts
- 3RD - Palm Beach Currumbin Team 1 - 13.70pts
- 4TH - St Peters Anglican College Broulee - 11.61pts
- 5TH - Lindisfarne NALAS - 9.30pts
- 6TH - St Andrews Anglican College Team Blue - 6.10pts
All Results at Live Heats: https://liveheats.com/events/456503
YEAR 10-11-12 BOYS - TAG TEAM: https://liveheats.com/events/456503/divisions/840951
YEAR 7-8-9 BOYS - TAG TEAM: https://liveheats.com/events/456503/divisions/840949
Report: Surfing Australia