YALLINGUP, WA, AUSTRALIA (Tuesday, January 20, 2026) The 21st edition of Taj’s Small Fries presented by Board Store finished in fine fashion today, with eight champions crowned in flawless waves at Smiths Beach, on Western Australia’s iconic Yallingup coastline.
One of the marquee events on the 2026 Surfing Australia Junior Series calendar, Taj’s Small Fries once again delivered world class waves, high level performances and a multitude of memorable moments to further enhance itsstanding as one of the country’s most prestigious junior surfing events. Competitors woke to a solid swell, but one that had mellowed in comparison to the previous day, and the call was again made for the three-foot righthanders of Smiths Reef to host proceedings. Quarterfinals and semifinals ran through the morning, before the afternoon hosted the six remaining division finals.
“We could not ask for a better day,” said Taj Burrow, as the first heat hit the water. “It’s glorious here, the waves are cooking, perfect little tubes, the suns out, and the groms are absolutely ripping!”
Under-18 Boys
Event standout Jesse Ferguson (Palm Beach, QLD) and local hope Ace Flynn (Cowaramup, WA) wentblow-for-blow in the day’s first final. As he has all event, Ferguson started the heat with a strong score, and after his opening 7.27, later replaced by an 8.43, then a 9.1, he was never headed. Despite some solid aerials from Flynn, the best of which came seconds after the final siren, the gooy footer could never quite rein in the 2024 Taj’s Small Fries Under-16 Boys champion, who was naturally thrilled with the result, as his 17.53 total left Flynn (14.07) chasing two fresh scores as time ran out.
“The last big win I had was here two years ago,” Ferguson said afterwards, “so to come back and do it again does not feel real. Last year I really put in the work with my shaper, Darren Handley, all my sponsors, my fitness coach, and my surf coach, and it’s all really helped. Every single heat in this event has had really good waves too, which is nice because you can just focus on your surfing. I’m so happy to take the win!”
Under-18 Girls
The oldest girls in the draw delivered another high-quality showdown, with Alice Hodgson (Kiama, NSW) emerging victorious after posting a combined total of 13.44, to take down local hope Poppy Redman-Carr (Dunsborough, WA), whose 13.10 total also meant this was the closest final of the event. Redman-Carr put together a steely performance, holding her nerves in the dying minutes to put together the best wave of the heat, but it wasn’t enough to stop the South Coaster from claiming her first Small Fries title, and she did so going left.
“I’m so happy!” said a beaming Hodgson. “WA is such a great place, with super fun waves. Our final was so close and could have gone either way, but I’m stoked that my hard work finally paid off. I got a left in my last heat and realised they could get me a couple of scores, so, I knew they were out there, and it worked out!”
Under-16 Boys
Jaggar Philipps (Narrabeen, NSW) was crowned Under-16 Boys champion after a strong performance in the final saw his imposing 18.54 two-wave total comfortably account for Kade Kelly (Newcastle, NSW), who finished on 12.66. Philipps’ sweetest moment came with five minutes remaining, when he took off on a medium sized, beautifully shaped runner and linked five consecutive turns to the beach, finishing with a huge closeout re-entry, for a 9.87, and the Creatures Of Leisure Cash Lock $50 prize for highest scoring wave of the day.
“Pretty happy to get to two nice turns out the back,” said Philipps, of the wave. “I haven’t seen many people do that. Then on the end turn, I let it rip and got the finish, which I was stoked about.”
As the siren went, Philipps and Kelly shared a wave to the beach, high fiving along the way. “Me and Kade have been mates a long time, he rips, and that was pretty cool. This whole trip has been. I just want to thank my Dad, for the five hour plane trip and spending so much money to get me here, and I want to dedicate this win to my Pa, who hasn’t been well. Pa, this one’s for you!”
Under-16 Girls
In the Under-16 Girls final Miller-May Berg (Miami, QLD), who came third at this event last year,delivered a composed performance to build a combined score of 15.73 and finally get her hands on the trophy.
Patience proved key for Berg, as both she and Charlotte Rielly (Sunshine Coast, QLD) were becalmed for the first 15 minutes of the heat, holding nothing more than a three-point-ride between them, Then the swell puled, and Berg pounced, posting two big scores, including her best for the event, an 8.30, on her last wave of the contest.
“I love coming over here,” said Berg. “I’m travelling with my best friend, Mieka Locke, we’re by ourselves and having a lot of fun. There are the best waves over here in WA, and to surf them with one other person out is the best. With this being the first event of the year it’s great to get a result under my belt and build some confidence, that will hopefully stay with me for the rest of the year.”
Under-14 Boys
The Under-14 Boys final went down to the wire, with Clement Piellard (Bondi, NSW) posting a heat total of 14.50 to claim victory over Hayden Mee (Newcastle, NSW), who finished on 12.93.
Both surfers had been on fire all week, and at the halfway mark of the final the trophy was still very much up for grabs. A five and a six gave Piellard the lead, before a seven and a five stole it back for Mee as time started to run out. In the dying minutes Piellard pounced on a good looking right, ripped out a string of big turns under immense pressure, and took the win with an 8.17, as his French parents watched on in disbelief.
“I can’t believe it,” he said afterwards, “this is the biggest win of my life. I’ve had such a fun time over here, I want to say thank you to my family for supporting me, and all my friends at the event.”
Under-14 Girls
After four long days, at two different beaches, the Under-14 Girls final was the last of 104 heats for this year’s Small Fries event, and it was one of the best. Good friends Estella Carbonelli (Torquay, VIC) and Stevie O’Day (Torquay, VIC) squared off, with Carbonelli wanting to go back-to-back after last year, and O’Day wanting to carry on a magic run that saw her win yesterday’s Creatures Cash Lock $50, after charging some of the biggest waves seen in Small Fries history.
Such was the class of the two women that O’Day ended up catching 11 waves and threw away three sixes and a five, while Carbonelli rode seven waves, and ditched a six and two fives of her own. The lead swapped hands multiple times, and with minutes to go, perhaps taking a cue from Alice Hodgson earlier, O’Day went off hunting a score on the left, leaving Carbonelli alone at the right’s more traditional take off point.
It seemed to be a charmed decision from O’Day, who dropped a 7.63 for a series of beautifully linked backhand turns to steal the lead with two minutes to go. To her horror, she would have then looked up to see Carbonelli dropping into the best wave of the final, which she promptly tore to pieces, with power belying her 12-year-old stature. As she rode out of the last manoeuvre Carbonelli stood tall and staunch, and that was before finiding out she’s won the day’s Creatures Cash Box $50.
“Yeah, that was a claim,” she admitted afterwards. “I somehow won! We’re friends but we were just surfing our brains out and having fun. I was so happy after that last wave. Thanks to my family for getting me over here, and my friends for coming down and supporting me!”
Small Fries XXI says goodbye
Across four sizzling days of competition, Taj’s Small Fries once again highlighted the depth of junior surfing talent emerging from across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Over the past two decades, Taj’s Small Fries has played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of Australian surfing stars including Felicity Palmateer, Jack Robinson, Bronte Macaulay and Jacob Willcox, and the 21st edition continued that proud legacy, with some of the heaviest waves ever seen in the events history, and some of its best performances too.
Full results, imagery and video highlights are available via Surfing WA’s social media channels and the event mini site at: www.surfingwa.com.au/events/smallfries/
FINAL RESULTS – TAJ’S SMALL FRIES
Under 12 Girls
Champion: Vada Wessel (Casuarina, NSW) – 9.84
Runner-Up: Myra Brown (Albany, WA) – 8.83
Under 12 Boys
Champion: Alessandro Dotti (Bali, Indonesia) – 17.54
Runner-Up: Levi Lowe (Byron Bay, NSW) – 16.00
Under 14 Girls
Champion: Estella Carbonelli (Torquay, VIC) – 16.14
Runner-Up: Stevie O’Day (Torquay, VIC) – 14.80
Under 14 Boys
Champion: Clement Piellard (Bondi, NSW) – 14.50
Runner-Up: Hayden Mee (Newcastle, NSW) – 12.93
Under 16 Girls
Champion: Miller-May Berg (Miami, QLD) – 15.73
Runner-Up: Charlotte Rielly (Sunshine Coast, QLD) – 10.27
Under 16 Boys
Champion: Jaggar Philipps (Narrabeen, NSW) – 18.54
Runner-Up: Kade Kelly (Newcastle, NSW) – 12.66
Under 18 Girls
Champion: Alice Hodgson (Kiama, NSW) – 13.44
Runner-Up: Poppy Redman-Carr (Dunsborough, WA) – 13.10
Under 18 Boys
Champion: Jesse Ferguson (Palm Beach, QLD) – 17.53
Runner-Up: Ace Flynn (Cowaramup, WA) – 14.07
About Taj’s Small Fries
Since 2006, Taj’s Small Fries has been Western Australia’s premier junior surfing event, providing a springboard for aspiring surfing stars. Hosted by Taj Burrow, the event has been pivotal in nurturing surfing talent, with past champions including Felicity Palmateer, Jack Robinson, Bronte Macaulay, and Jacob Willcox. This 21st edition celebrates more than two decades of surf culture, community, and grommet stoke along WA’s iconic Yallingup coastline.
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