Eighty-four of the hottest young surfers from three states will paddle out at Nine Mile Beach, Tuncurry, this weekend, with one spot on an elite emerging athletes team still to be filled.
The groms, from NSW, Queensland, and Victoria, are converging on the Mid North Coast for the hotly contested finale of the Surf Reflections Junior Series.
The 2026 series is a 5500-rated event on Surfing Australia’s National Series calendar. It is run by Reflections Holidays, the largest holiday park group in NSW, in partnership with surfing festival Surfest.
A handful of locals will line up against competitors who have travelled from along the NSW coast, along with a few entrants from Queensland and Victoria.
Since launching as a single event in 2024, the series has gone from strength to strength, giving young surfers in regional NSW the chance to hone their skills closer to home while chasing a professional career.
“In the past two years we’ve seen many of these kids compete at each event and improve as they’ve been mentored by pro surfers including Callum Robson, Matt Banting, Jarvis Earle, Trent Munro and Jacko Baker, who is joining us at Tuncurry,” said Surfest director Warren Smith.
Reflections has formed an Emerging Athletes team for the competition’s most promising entrants, who will receive accommodation vouchers for future events and mentoring from pro surfer Jacko Baker.
Hugo Spierings (Byron Bay), Alanni Morris (Shelly Beach), and Max Goold (Palm Beach) have already made the team. The fourth member will be announced on Sunday, 15 November, at the end of the Tuncurry event.
Reflections holiday parks have supported Surf Reflections events at Bonny Hills, Urunga, and Tuncurry, including discounted accommodation for competitors and an Eats and Beats area for surfing families and visitors.
“Reflections is privileged to manage holiday parks near some of the best surfing breaks in NSW and with the help of our partners, Surfest, Surf Reflections has been a huge success not just as a ranked competition but also as a major driver of regional tourism,” said Reflections CEO Nick Baker.
The State Government also sees the benefits, with Crown land holiday parks playing an important role in supporting regional communities and tourism across NSW.
“Reflections holiday parks are located near some of the best surf breaks in NSW making them a great base for events like this that bring competitors, families and visitors to our regional communities,” said Minister for Lands and Property, Sport, and Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper.
“The Surf Reflections Junior Series is giving talented young surfers the chance to compete and develop their skills while supporting local tourism, businesses and jobs.”
For more on the Surf Reflections Junior Series, visit https://reflectionsholidays.com.au/about-us/partners/surf-reflections-junior-series/
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