Surf Life Saving descends on Albany for massive weekend of sports action

West Australian surf lifesavers will descend on Albany this weekend as Surf Life Saving WA’s annual Fuel to Go & Play WA Country Championships and Carnival return to Middleton Beach for the first time since 2017.

Over two days, more than 830 athletes from 21 WA surf life saving clubs will take on a host of events, including the iconic Ironman, beach sprints and flags, ski and board races, and surf boats.

Surf Life Saving WA President Heidi Gan OLY said the surf life saving community was excited to be returning to Albany for what will no doubt be an exceptional weekend of surf sports.

“Our Country Carnival continues to be one of the most popular events on our annual calendar, with members aged 7 to 70 plus, travelling from across the State to compete,” said Ms Gan.

“We have competitors and their families from as far as Geraldton to the north and Esperance in our south, travelling to Albany for what will be an action-packed weekend of surf sports competition and camaraderie.”

The two-day event at Middleton Beach, the home of the Albany Surf Life Saving Club, will be held from Saturday, 24, to Sunday, 25 January, with a special one-off event, the Albany Bicentenary Swim, hosted by the Albany Surf Life Saving Club, on Monday, 26 January.

The swim invites locals and visitors to be part of history with a community-focused event that celebrates Albany’s coastal heritage and its role in WA’s story and is open to swimmers of all ages and abilities.

“To welcome surf lifesavers from across Western Australia back to Albany for the first time since 2017 is incredibly special, particularly as it takes place during Albany 2026—our milestone year marking 200 years of shared history,” said City of Albany Mayor Greg Stocks.

“The Albany Bicentenary Swim is a wonderful addition, offering locals and visitors of all ages and abilities the chance to be part of this historic year in a way that reflects Albany’s deep connection to the ocean and its role in Western Australia’s story”.

The Fuel to Go & Play WA Country Championships and Carnival are proudly partnered by Healthway, promoting the Fuel to Go & Play health message and supported by the City of Albany.

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