A group of the south-west’s top young surf sports athletes will be heading to Perth this weekend to make their debut in round one of the WA Surf League at North Cottesloe beach.
In its second year, this is the first year the WA Surf League will host a youth category, opening the way for budding young athletes to compete against the best in WA in their chosen discipline, as well as having the unique opportunity to try out their skills against some of the best open age athletes in the State.
With a number of new teams and clubs participating this year, a combined City of Bunbury and Binningup team will make its debut and will include a number of the region, and state’s, top youth athletes.
James Duncan, City of Bunbury Surf Life Saving Club’s Director of Surf Sports, said the athletes were looking forward to their first hit out in the competition and the opportunity to go head to head with the bigger metro clubs.
“This new, short-format competition provides a fantastic opportunity for some of us smaller, regional clubs and our athletes to come together and create a combined presence to compete against some of the bigger metro teams,” said Mr Duncan.
“In particular, we expect a number of our young athletes to have a strong showing in the new youth category, including Paige Stegmann (board) and Kate Lockley (swim) in the U15’s, while U14’s James Kiely will be pretty fast on the sand.”
Binningup’s Serena Nandapi and Julie Dwyer are also expected to perform well, with Nandapi’s star well and truly on the rise having recently taken silver at the 2018 Australian Youth Championships at Scarborough Beach in the beach sprint event, as well as representing WA at the youth Pathway Cup in NSW as a member of Surf Life Saving WA’s Youth Development Squad.
Events contested will include iconic surf lifesaving events such as ironman, ski and board races, and surf boats, as well as the beach sprints and flags with the action once again live-streamed via Surf Life Saving WA’s Facebook page, You Tube or website.
With the City of Bunbury Surf Life Saving Club long dominating the WA Surf Life Saving Country Championships, claiming the flag for 22 consecutive years, their presence in the WA surf League will add an extra element of competition for the metro based clubs.
There’s no excuse not to watch all of the action as we live stream all three rounds of the WA Surf League right here, or via our Facebook Page!
Photo (Left to right) – Bunbury Surf Life Saving Club youth athletes Kate Lockley, Paige Stegmann, Allanah Griffin, Noah Cartledge, Emma Stegmann, Tristan White.
