The 2022 SunSmart WA School Surfing Titles concluded with a bang last Friday at Trigg Beach, as students from 27 different regional and metropolitan high schools converged on Perth’s metropolitan beaches for the finale to Surfing WA’s largest participation-based event of the year.
The State Final brought together the best of the best surfing schools in WA, after 10 qualifying events were held through the state over the past month. Small, clean and highly contestable waves were on offer at Trigg Beach, as Over 58 teams of boys and girls hit the water in surfing and bodyboarding divisions to see who would be crowned WA’s Champion Surfing School for 2022.
The SunSmart WA School Surfing Titles provides a unique stepping stone for secondary students to reach the pinnacle of the sport for their age group, the Woolworths Australian Junior Surfing Titles, which is scheduled to run on North Stradbroke Island, QLD later this year.
For surfers, a win at Trigg Beach guaranteed them a spot into the National Titles and the chance to compete against the best surfing schools from across the country.
Margaret River Senior High School continued their impressive winning streak at the SunSmart School Surfing Titles, claiming a record-breaking 17th consecutive Champion School victory. Margaret River’s depth of talent was clearly on display, as they ran away with four wins and two runner up finishes of the eight divisions on offer, with three wins from four in the surfing finals.
Margaret River SHS took out the Senior Boys Surfing final, with a hard fought performances from Macklin Flynn and Ben Cook. Despite the best efforts of Leo Fallourd and Oliver Desforges from Shenton College, it was some last minute heroics from Flynn & Cook that saw them take the win.
“The waves were pretty tricky out there, but it’s good to get the win with Macklin,” said Ben Cook. “I’ve never made a State Team before so I’m pretty excited. Thanks to Mr Meyer and all the team for another big win in 2022.”
Ruby Berry and Kaleisha Launders continued Margaret River’s success with a win in the Senior Girls Surfing final, defeating a Madeline Cox and Charlie Bates-Bird from St Mary’s Anglican Girls School. The pairing of a goofy footer and natural footer worked perfectly for Margaret River, as the girls sliced and diced the afternoon conditions to pieces.
“I’ve just got back from competing at an event on North Stradbroke Island,” said Berry. “Kaleisha is a great team mate and I’m really excited to compete in another division alongside her at National Titles.”
St Mary Mackillop Catholic College in Busselton, captured the Junior Boys Surfing division, with Maverick Wilson and Jye Edmonds proving too strong for Jack Bulloch and Declan Finn from Comet Bay College in Secret Harbour. Wilson, the Under-16 Boys State Champion called upon his years of competition experience to extract every point out of the tricky afternoon conditions, with just three points separating the two teams when the final siren sounded.
“The conditions were a little average out there, but I’m stoked for Jye and I’m really looking forward to getting back to Straddle,” said Wilson. “Well done to everyone who competed and it was good to get the with for Mackillop.”
Willow Hines and Grace Cook from Margaret River SHS both posted some big numbers on their way to victory in the Junior Girls Surfing final, taking down Nagle Catholic College’s Eden Rodden and Kate McKenzie in the process.
“I’ve had a lot of fun competing in the School Surfing Titles,” said Hines. “Well done to Grace and all the team from Margaret River for a great performance.”
In the bodyboarding division’s, North Albany Senior High School won the Senior Boys Bodyboarding final, taking down Mat Jordi and Max McGregor from Margaret River Senior High School. In one of the closest results of the day, just one and half points separated the two teams.
“We’re stoked to not only make the State Final, but to get a win as well caps off an epic campaign for NASHS,” said Elijah Medling. “Well done to Jack my team mate and Mr Ireland for helping us get here today.”
Margaret River SHS won the Senior Girls Bodyboarding division, with Willow Hines and Olive Hardy proving they’re just as handy on their bodyboards as they are on their surfboards, taking down St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls pairing of Tilly Banfield and Jess Freedman.
“It’s actually really fun to bodyboard,” said Olive Hardy. “Well done to Willow for winning two divisions and thanks to our teachers for a fun trip.”
Christchurch Grammar School claimed an impressive win in the Junior Boys Bodyboarding final, with Sam Harding and Leon Butler powering ahead of Reece Jennings and Byron Timmons from Yanchep Secondary College.
“Thanks to Mrs Fricke and all the boys from Christchurch for a sick day,” said Sam Harding. “I love to surf and bodyboarding and this is a great win for our school.”
Methodist Ladies College won the Junior Girls Bodyboarding division, with Bronte Scott and Saba Phillips notching up a memorable win for the school in the Junior Girls bodyboard division, defeating Margaret River’s Grace Cook and Sienna Bowdell.
“Surfing is usually such an individual sport that it’s nice to be out there with a team mate to help you and encourage you,” said Bronte Scott. “Thanks to Saba and hopefully we can do a bit better in the surfing divisions next year.”
The 2022 SunSmart WA School Surfing Titles saw a total of 46 regional and metropolitan high schools nominate over four hundred of teams of surfers and bodyboarders, and well over a thousand students pulling on their wetsuits and participating over the past month.
“Congratulations to Margaret River Senior High School, they were definitely challenged this year, but once again proved to be WA’s best surfing school, with a record breaking 17th Champion School victory” said Surfing WA Events Manger Justin Majeks. “We’ve discovered new talent throughout all of WA’s surfing regions and well done to those surfers who have now qualified to represent WA at the Australian Junior Surfing Titles in QLD.”
Surfing WA was thrilled to again join forces with long-term partner Healthway, to deliver the SunSmart message to key demographic right across Western Australia. Surfing WA through initiatives such as this continues to educate the community on the importance of being SunSmart to ensure the health of our athletes.
“Through our partnership with Surfing WA, we are able to provide young Western Australians with pathways to continue their surfing journey, and also deliver important messages on how to stay sun safe to students who spend a lot of time outdoors,” Lotterywest and Healthway CEO Ralph Addis said.
Surfing WA will now focus on best preparing our junior surfers from the Woolworths Australian Junior Surfing Titles scheduled to run on North Stradbroke Island, QLD in late November.
The SunSmart WA School Surfing Titles State Final was streamed through streamer.com.au for the very first time, allowing people to tune into the action live from right across WA.
For more information on the SunSmart WA School Surfing Titles best sure to check out www.surfingwa.com.au and www.schoolsportwa.com.au. Competitors were encouraged to interact via Instagram: Follow @surfing_wa and use the hashtags #SunSmartSurfing
2022 SUNSMART WA SCHOOL SURFING TITLES – STATE FINAL RESULTS:
Senior Boys Surfing:
Champion School: Margaret River SHS (Macklin Flynn & Ben Cook) – 26.5
Runner Up School: Shenton College (Leo Fallourd & Oliver Deforges) – 19.0
Senior Girls Surfing:
Champion School: Margaret River SHS (Ruby Berry & Kaleisha Launders) – 24.5
Runner Up School: St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School (Lauren Ware & Charlie Bates-Bird) – 15.0
Junior Boys Surfing:
Champion School: St Mary Mackillop Catholic College (Maverick Wilson & Jye Edmonds) – 26.0
Runner Up School: Comet Bay College (Jack Bulloch & Declan Finn) – 23.0
Junior Girls Surfing:
Champion School: Margaret River SHS (Willow Hines & Grace Cook) – 25.5
Runner Up School: Nagle Catholic College (Eden Ridden & Kate McKenzie) – 19.0
Senior Boys Bodyboarding:
Champion School: North Albany SHS (Elijah Medling & Jack Day) – 31.0
Runner Up School: Margaret River SHS (Mat Jordi & Max McGregor) – 29.5
Senior Girls Bodyboarding:
Champion School: Margaret River SHS (Willow Hines & Olive Hardy) – 24.0
Runner Up School: St Hilda’s School For Girls (Tilly Banfield & Jess Freedman) – 18.0
Junior Boys Bodyboarding:
Champion School: Christchurch Grammar School (Sam Harding & Leon Butler) – 29.50
Runner Up School: Yanchep Secondary College (Reece Jennings & Byron Timmons) – 22.50
Junior Girls Bodyboarding:
Champion School: Methodist Ladies College (Bronte Scott & Saba Phillips) – 20.0
Runner Up School: Margaret River SHS (Grace Cook & Sienna Bowdell) – 13.50
Champion School: Margaret River Senior High School
Regional Qualification Dates:
Mid West: Wednesday 27th July – Geraldton
Peel: Friday 5th August – Secret Harbour
Bunbury: Wednesday 10th August – Bunbury Back Beach
South-West: Thursday 11th August – Margaret River
Great Southern: Friday 12th August – Denmark
Metropolitan Qualification Dates:
Metro: Monday 15th – Friday 19th August – Scarborough Beach
State Final:
Friday 26th August – Trigg Beach
State Final Qualifying Schools:
Bunbury Catholic College
Bunbury Senior High School
Carine Senior High School
CBC Fremantle
Christchurch Grammar School
Comet Bay College
Denmark Senior High School
Esperance Anglican Community School
Frederick Irwin Anglican School
Geraldton Christian College
John XXIII College
Lady of Mercy College
Mandurah Baptist College
Mandurah Catholic College
Margaret River Senior High School
Mary Mackillop College
Methodist Ladies College
Nagle Catholic College
Newman College
North Albany Senior High School
Prendiville Catholic College
Sacred Heart College
Shenton College
St Hilda’s Anglican School For Girls
St Mary’s Anglican Girls School
St Stephens Duncraig
Yanchep Secondary College
About SunSmart:
Did you know that the sun can see through your skin to the cells beneath the surface? In fact, each time the sun sees your cells (when the UV is 3 or above), it’s doing damage that can just keep building up and up, until one day it causes a mutation in your DNA which can turn to skin cancer. People are reminded to check the UV Index when they are exposing their skin to the sun and to protect themselves when the UV index is 3 or higher Visit myUV.com.au for your UV forecast and to download the SunSmart App.
