Western Australia’s best school surfers and bodyboarders turned on a high-performance finish to the 2026 Think Mental Health WA School Surfing Titles at Trigg Beach last Friday, as Margaret River Senior High School extended its remarkable reign as Champion School to 21 consecutive years.
More than 400 teams from 50 schools contested ten qualifying events across Western Australia this year, culminating in 28 regional and metropolitan schools earning their place at the State Final.
Sunny, spring-like conditions greeted competitors at Trigg, with highly contestable two-to-three-foot waves and light S/SE winds providing the platform for an exciting day of school-versus-school competition.
From Exmouth in the north to Albany in the south, the State Final brought together some of WA’s most promising young surfers and bodyboarders, with the standard lifting throughout the day as teams battled for school pride, State titles and qualification for the Australian Junior Surfing Titles in the surfing divisions.
MARGARET RIVER’S REMARKABLE REIGN CONTINUES
Margaret River SHS once again proved the benchmark, claiming four of the eight divisions on offer and securing the overall Champion School trophy for an extraordinary 21st consecutive year.
The south west powerhouse was particularly impressive in the girls surfing divisions, where teammates went head-to-head in two all-Margaret River finals.
Current Under 18 Girls State Champion Olive Hardy teamed with Leila Fraser to claim the Senior Girls Surfing title with a combined total of 27.00 (out of 40), overcoming schoolmates Grace Cook and Poppy Redman-Carr.
There was sibling rivalry in the Junior Girls Surfing final, with current Under 14 Girls State Champion Ily Fraser joining Rose Annesley to post a total of 25.00 and defeat Paige Hayward and Rose’s sister Stella Annesley.
Margaret River added another surfing title through Ethan Anderson and Zenn Hammond, who combined for 24.80 to win the Junior Boys division ahead of Otis Schomberg and Louie Coulthard from Exmouth District High School.
The result capped off an impressive campaign from the Exmouth contingent, who made the long journey south to Perth and underlined the growing depth of junior surfing emerging from WA’s mid-west and north west.
Margaret River’s fourth victory came in the Senior Boys Bodyboarding, where Ry Vincent and Kade Guja got the better of Hale School’s Mason Ellis and Oisin Wormald.
Margaret River SHS Surf Academy Coordinator Jay Baddock said the 21st consecutive title reflected the depth of surfing talent within the school and across the south west.
“The team is pretty stoked to get 21 wins in a row,” said Baddock. “I think it really shows the depth of surfing that we have here in the south west and, in particular, at Margaret River Senior High School.”
“We’re pretty fortunate to have so many students competing in the State rounds and already surfing at such a high level, and then to see them represent the school and succeed is fantastic. Our girls in particular had some sensational results, so we’re pretty stoked.”
SCHOOLS STEP UP AT TRIGG
While Margaret River claimed the overall honours, schools from across WA ensured the 2026 State Final was anything but a one-school show.
One of the tightest battles of the day unfolded in Senior Boys Surfing, where Cruz Uros and Jye Edmonds flew the flag for St Mary MacKillop College. The south west duo combined for 24.30 points to edge John XXIII College brothers Ben and Jake Scott (22.50) and secure both the State title and a coveted place at the Australian Junior Surfing Titles.
Churchlands Senior High School delivered one of the standout stories of the event. After returning to the girls competition for the first time in several years, the school progressed two of its three girls teams through to the State Final before Jaycee Hart and Grace Stockden capped the campaign with victory in Senior Girls Bodyboarding.
Hart and Stockden posted an impressive 25.50 to defeat Margaret River’s Hardy and Fraser (19.50).
Duncraig Senior High School produced the biggest team total of the finals, with Paul Baur and Kostya Rogoysky combining for 31.00 to take out Junior Boys Bodyboarding ahead of Margaret River’s Jack Bowdell and Seb Latrell (19.20).
In Junior Girls Bodyboarding, Grace Lawson and Milla Johnson secured the title for St Mary’s Anglican Girls School with 21.00 points, overcoming Margaret River’s Stella Annesley and Betsy Englert (16.50).
Surfing WA Regional Manager Kim Clift said the performances at Trigg reflected the growing depth of school surfing and bodyboarding across Western Australia.
“The standard was incredibly high this year, particularly once we got into the finals, and it was great to see such a strong mix of schools represented from right across the state,” said Clift.
“Churchlands was one of the great stories. It was their first time competing in the girls event for several years and they brought just three teams, with two making it through to Finals Day and Jaycee and Grace going on to win the Senior Girls Bodyboarding title.
“We also had the Exmouth students travel all the way to Perth and perform really well. We’ve seen some great young surfers emerging from the mid-west and north west through recent events in the region, and it was fantastic to see that reflected here.
“To have students coming together from Exmouth to Albany is what makes this event so special. Congratulations to Margaret River on another incredible Champion School title and to all our winning teams who will represent their schools on the national stage in Margaret River come December.”
Promoting Health and Wellbeing
The event was proudly supported by Healthway, with Surfing WA promoting the Think Mental Health message to a key youth audience across the state. The program not only nurtures WA’s next generation of surfers but also reinforces the importance of physical and mental wellbeing.
Surfing WA will now prepare the WA Junior Surfing Team to compete at the Australian Junior Surfing Titles in Margaret Riverin December.
2026 THINK MENTAL HEALTH WA SCHOOL SURFING TITLES – STATE FINAL RESULTS
Senior Boys Surfing
Champion School: St Mary MacKillop College (Cruz Uros & Jye Edmonds) – 24.30
Runner Up School: John XXIII College (Ben Scott & Jake Scott) – 22.50
Senior Girls Surfing
Champion School: Margaret River SHS 1 (Olive Hardy & Leila Fraser) – 27.00
Runner Up School: Margaret River SHS 2 (Grace Cook & Poppy Redman-Carr) – 16.05
Junior Boys Surfing
Champion School: Margaret River SHS (Ethan Anderson & Zenn Hammond) – 24.8
Runner Up School: Exmouth District High School (Otis Schomberg & Louie Coulthard) – 19.50
Junior Girls Surfing
Champion School: Margaret River SHS 1 (Rose Annesley & Ily Fraser) – 25.00
Runner Up School: Margaret River SHS 2 (Paige Hayward & Stella Annesley) – 19.00
Senior Boys Bodyboarding
Champion School: Margaret River SHS (Ry Vincent & Kade Guja) – 21.50
Runner Up School: Hale School (Mason Ellis & Oisin Wormald) – 16.00
Senior Girls Bodyboarding
Champion School: Churchlands Senior High School (Jaycee Hart & Grace Stockden) – 25.50
Runner Up School: Margaret River SHS (Olive Hardy & Leila Fraser) – 19.50
Junior Boys Bodyboarding
Champion School: Duncraig Senior High School (Paul Baur & Kostya Rogoysky) – 31.00
Runner Up School: Margaret River Senior High School (Jack Bowdell & Seb Latrell) – 19.20
Junior Girls Bodyboarding
Champion School: St Mary’s Anglican Girls School (Grace Lawson & Milla Johnson) – 21.00
Runner Up School: Margaret River SHS (Stella Annesley & Betsy Englert) – 16.50
Overall Champion School
1st: Margaret River Senior High School
2nd: Churchlands Senior High School
3rd: St Mary’s Anglican Girls School, Duncraig Senior High School and St Mary MacKillop College
6th: Hale School, Exmouth Senior High School, John XXIII College
9th: St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls, Mandurah Catholic College, Carine Senior High School, and Comet Bay College
State Final Qualifying Schools
Albany Senior High School
Australia Christian College
North Albany Senior High School
Bunbury Catholic College
Bunbury Grammar
Carine Senior High School
Churchlands Senior High School
Comet Bay College
Duncraig Senior High School
Exmouth District High School
Geraldton Grammar School
Great Southern Grammar
Hale School
John XXIII College
John Tonkin College
Mandurah Catholic College
Margaret River Senior High School
Methodist Ladies College
Nagle Catholic College
Newman College
Sacred Heart College
Scotch College
Shenton College
St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls
St Mary MacKillop College
St Mary’s Anglican Girls Schoo
St Stephens School
Yanchep Senior High School
Kalbarri Senior High School, Bunbury Senior High School and Our Lady of Mercy qualified for the State Final but were unable to send teams.
About Think Mental Health
The ‘Think Mental Health’ education campaign is part of a comprehensive approach in Western Australia, that aims to build mental health and wellbeing, and reduce mental health issues, with a view to reducing Western Australia’s suicide rate. Surfing WA will collaborate with professional mental health organisations, local authorities and community leaders to develop and implement comprehensive strategies for mental health promotion, awareness, and support within the surfing community. Visit www.thinkmentalhealthwa.com.au for more information about the campaign.
Events
