Image Credit: Matt Mac / Surfing WA
Close to 100 of Western Australia’s most promising junior surfers are set to hit the waves at Margaret River later this week for the opening event of the 2026 Club Med WA Junior Surfing Titles presented by Think Mental Health.
The State’s rising stars will paddle out at Surfers Point, putting their skills to the test at the same iconic break that hosts the world’s best surfers on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour. With its powerful and challenging waves, Surfers Point provides the ultimate proving ground for WA’s next generation of surfing talent.
Grommets aged between 9 and 17 years years will compete in the first of three crucial qualifying events, all vying for a place in the WA team to contest the 2026 Australian Junior Surfing Titles, which will return to Margaret River in late November for the first time since 2019.
The return of the Australian Junior Surfing Titles to Margaret River adds extra significance to this year’s state series, giving WA’s best junior surfers a valuable opportunity to gain experience competing at Surfers Point ahead of the national event later this year.
Margaret River has long been a breeding ground for world-class surfing talent, producing international stars such as Jack Robinson, Jacob Willcox, Bronte Macaulay and Willow Hardy, all of whom began their competitive journeys in these very waters before going on to represent Australia on the world stage.
South West surfers will be looking to capitalise on their local knowledge, with reigning Under 18 Girls State Champion Olive Hardy (Margaret River) leading the charge in the blue-ribbon Under-18 Girls division, fresh from a quarterfinal finish at the recent WSL QS Gold Coast Open. While the Under-18 Boys division is set to be highly competitive, with strong challengers including Jack Bulloch (Secret Harbour), Ace Flynn (Cowaramup), Cruz Uros (Dunsborough), Brody Mulik (Margaret River) and Jake Scott (Swanbourne).
“It’s shaping up to be an exciting event and it’s fantastic that our emerging surfers get the chance to compete at a World Championship Tour location,” said Surfing WA Chief Operating Officer Matt Wilson.
“With the Australian Junior Surfing Titles returning to Margaret River later this year, this event gives our surfers a great opportunity to gain experience competing at Surfers Point and build confidence at one of the most iconic waves in the world.”
Adding further value to the event, high-performance surf coaches and former elite competitors Mike McAuliffe, Mia Patrick and Emma Cattlin will be on hand throughout the weekend, offering mentoring and guidance to competitors on wave selection, heat strategy and performance.
Early forecasts suggest solid, contestable surf in the 3–6 foot range across the weekend, providing the perfect canvas for WA’s next generation of surfing talent. Competition begins at 8:00am on Friday, with finals set for Sunday as the forecast points to an epic finals day showdown.
For those who can’t make it to the beach, you can follow all the action via www.liveheats.com or stay updated through Surfing WA’s social media channels. For more information on this and other WA surfing events, visit www.surfingwa.com.au
2026 WA Junior Surfing Titles presented by Think Mental Health:
Events
Event # 1 @ Margaret River: March 13 – 15
Event # 2 @ Trigg Beach: June 12-14
Event # 3 @ Geraldton: July 24-26
Divisions
Under 18 Junior Girls
Under 18 Junior Boys
Under 16 Cadet Girls
Under 16 Cadet Boys
Under 14 Grommet Girls
Under 14 Grommet Boys
Under 12 Micro-Grom Girls
Under 12 Micro-Grom Boys
About Club Med:
Club Med is a global leader in premium all-inclusive holidays, offering travelers immersive experiences in some of the world’s most beautiful destinations. With a strong focus on sport, wellness and adventure, Club Med resorts provide guests with the opportunity to explore the ocean, mountains and natural environments through activities led by expert instructors. Club Med is proud to support the development of surfing in Western Australia and the next generation of young athletes through its partnership with Surfing WA. Learn more at clubmed.com.au
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