Australian surf life saving 2023: NSW, Queensland, Victorian, WA, Tasmanian youth stars on the rise
They are surf life saving’s stars in waiting. The youngsters hoping to ride a wave of success at the Australian surf life saving championships. The 32 rising stars of surf to watch.
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They are our rising stars of the surf and sand.
Some of the fastest and most talented teens in the country.
And while some will go on to represent their state and country in the future, right now it’s all about having fun, making mates and doing their club and team proud.
We have spoke to the experts to identify some of the rising stars of Australian surf life saving competing at the Aussies in Perth this weekend.
And with their help we have compiled a list of the athletes to watch as the Aussies kick off with two days of youth racing.
And while NSW and Queensland traditionally dominate the event, there is plenty of budding talent from states including Victoria and Tasmania.
Check out the best youngsters in the sport below.
NEW SOUTH WALES TOP GUNS
Hayden McGregor - Terrigal - U14 Male
This young surf sports star from Terrigal SLSC was a standout at the 2023 Surf Life Saving NSW State Age Championships. Here he won two gold medals - in the U14 Male Surf Race and U14 Male Cameron.
Charli Barbour - Newport - U14 Female
Charli Barbour was another star of the NSW State Titles for her Newport club with three gold medals in the Surf Race, Board Relay and Surf Teams. She also picked up two silver (Board Race and Ironwoman) to emerge as a real threat in Perth.
Kaitlin Rees - Swansea Belmont - U15 Female
The latest talent to emerge from this highly respected surf club.
Considered a rising stars of the sport, she is tipped for big things in the U15 Female competition in Perth.
At the 2023 Surf Life Saving NSW State Championships she won gold in the Surf Race, silver in the Iron and also a silver in the Beach Relay.
Zara Kasprowicz - North Curl Curl - U15 Female
Sport is in the blood of this North Curl Curl youngster with Zara Kasprowicz’s father Simon a former NSW Waratah and her uncle Michael a former Australia test cricketer.
The young talent finished third in the U15 Iron race at the 2023 Surf Life Saving NSW State Championships and second in the Board Rescue.
She is tipped for more success at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships in Perth.
Emerson Leadbeatter – Swansea Belmont - U15 Female
Emerson Leadbeatter is a keen runner, both on the track and on the sand and one of the fastest in the game.
At the 2023 Surf Life Saving NSW State Championships she claimed two great gold medals in the U15 Female Beach Flags and Beach Sprint events.
Albert Forbes and Liam Sidwell - Cooks Hill - U15 Male
Albert Forbes and Liam Sidwell are a dynamic duo from Cooks Hill SLSC.
The pair duo teamed up to win gold in the U15 Male Board Rescue and U15 Male Board Relay at the State titles in early March.
Albert and Liam also finished second and fourth respectively in the U15 Male Board Race.
Luke Newrick – South Maroubra - U15 Male sprint, flags, relay
This speed machine was the fastest U15 man on the sand at the 2022 Surf Life Saving NSW State Championships held on Sydney’s northern beaches.
He won both the U15 Male Beach Sprint and Beach Flags events and is ready to lift to a new level against his interstate rivals at the Aussies.
Pipi Te Pania – North Curl Curl - U15 Female
Pipi Te Pania is one of the rising stars of surf sports - and athletics.
In the lead-up to Aussies she competed at the NSW athletics championships and won the U16 steeplechase crown.
Then at the recent 2023 Surf Life Saving NSW State Championships, Pipi was one of the most impressive competitors on the beach, winning gold medals in the Board and iron race along with four silvers (Board Rescue, Board Relay, Surf Teams, Surf Race).
Dane Sutton - Wanda - U15 Male
Dane Sutton will be hunting for medal results off the back of a silver in the 2km Beach Run, gold in the Cameron Relay and gold in the Champion Lifesaver event at the 2023 Surf Life Saving NSW State Championships. Don’t blink or you could miss him.
QUEENSLAND
Mary Thompson - Maroochydore - U13 Female
Mary Thompson is a talent hailing from the Sunshine Coast. Competing in the U13 age group, Mary won four gold medals (Iron, Surf Teams, Board Relay and Board Race) and one silver medal (Cameron Relay) at the 2023 Surf Life Saving Queensland State Championships to be one of the event’s standouts.
Mitchell and Alexander Frost - North Burleigh - U13 Male
The North Burleigh brothers Mitchell and Alexander Frost will be looking to springboard off their results at the 2023 Surf Life Saving Queensland Youth Championships in Perth.
The duo from the Gold Coast finished on the podium in almost every team’s event at the State Championships - Surf Teams (gold), Cameron Relay (Alexander - gold, Mitchell - silver), Board Rescue (Mitchell - gold, Alexander - silver), Board Relay (gold). The pair also finished second and third in the U13 Male Board Race.
Niamh Arthur - Sunshine Beach - U14 Female
Niamh Arthur keeps good company. She trains under Nutri-Grain iron athletes Wes and Jade Berg at Sunshine Beach SLSC.
At the 2023 Surf Life Saving Queensland Youth Championships, Niamh raced off with a gold medal in the U14 Female Iron, Surf Teams and Board Rescue and then placed in the Surf Race (silver) and Board Relay (bronze).
Taj Murray - North Burleigh - U14 Male
Taj was another standout at the 2023 Surf Life Saving Queensland Youth Championships. There he bagged an impressive five gold medals (Surf Race, Board Race, Board Relay, Iron, Surf Teams) and two bronzes (Beach Relay, Cameron Relay).
One to watch at the Aussies.
Zeke Zimmerle - Tweed Heads Coolangatta - U15 Male
Zeke is a talented speedster who competes across Beach Sprint and Beach Flags events. With a gold (Flags) and silver (Sprint) already in his possession from the 2023 Surf Life Saving Queensland Youth Championships, the Tweed Heads Coolangatta nipper is making the long trip to the west coast with his sights set on an Australian Championships medal.
Byron Oliphant - Alexandra Headland - U15 Male
Byron knows what it takes to win an Australian Championship.
In the lead up to the Aussies in Perth, Byron competed at the 2023 Surf Life Saving Queensland Youth Championships where he won gold in the Board Race, Cameron Relay and Ironman.
He also won a silver in the Surf Race.
Bianca Rayward - Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park - U15 Female
Bianca excels on the big stage, having represented Queensland and south coast teams in the past. Bianca is following in the footsteps of her older sister Jasmine and her results speak for themselves.
Bianca won gold in the Surf and Iron at the Surf Life Saving Queensland Youth Championships,
Interestingly all three Rayward sisters - Elke is 12 - won their respective age groups in the Iron events.
Zoe Woods - Alexandra Headland - U15 Female
Zoe Woods also has strong sporting pedigree with her older sister Emma competing in the Nutri-Grain Iron Series for the past few years.
Zoe is determined to pave her own way in the sport and is already showing fantastic potential.
At to match. At the 2023 Surf Life Saving Queensland Youth Championships Zoe won medals in the Surf Race (silver), Board Race (gold), Board Relay (bronze), Ironwoman (silver) and Surf Teams (gold).
Pipi Barlow - Maroochydore - U15 Female
Pipi is an U15 competitor who was selected in the Queensland state team for the Interstate Championships in Sydney in January.
Pipi competes in the beach events, and won both the Beach Sprint and Beach Flags at the 2023 Surf Life Saving Queensland Youth Championships.
VICTORIA
Summer Morgan - Anglesea - U13 Female
Summer Morgan is making the trip over to Perth for her first Australian championships. The U13 competitor will be hoping to repeat her success from the Victorian State Championships where she picked up gold in the U13 Iron, Board Race and Surf Race and silver in the Board Rescue. A rising star of the surf.
Noah Chapple - Williamstown - U13 Male
Noah Chapple is also making the trip to Perth for his Aussies racing debut.
Competing for Williamstown, Noah won three gold (U13 Iron, Board Race and Surf Race) and one silver (Belt and Reel) at the Victorian State Championships, making him one to watch at Aussies.
Katie Gorvett-Page - Mentone - U14 Female
Katie Gorvett-Page picked up a gold medal in almost every individual event that she competed in at the 2023 Victorian State Championships.
Her gold medal haul included winning the U14 Female Tube Race, Iron, Board Race and Surf Race. Another being watched with interest.
Tobias Hallam - Ocean Grove - U14 Male
Tobias Hallam earned the most points out of every U14 Male competitor at the 2023 Victorian Championships.
The Ocean Grove clubbie took first in the U14 Male Surf Teams and Board Race, finished second in the Surf Race, Iron and Board Relay and picked up a bronze medal in the Tube Race.
Zoe McKenna - Jan Juc - U15 Female
Zoe McKenna left the 2023 Victorian State Championships with more medals than any other U15 Female competitor
Zoe picked up four gold (Cameron Relay, Board Race, Board Relay and Surf Teams) and backed it up with a bronze in the U15 Iron
William Newton - Lorne - U15 Male
William Newton had a massive program at the recent 2023 Victorian Championships, bagging an impressive haul of medals. .
William won five silver (Tube Race, Board Rescue, Surf Teams, Iron, Board Race) and three gold, including two medals with his Lorne teammates (Surf Race, Board Relay, Cameron Relay).
TASMANIA
Jordy Armistead - Port Sorrell - U15 Male
Jordy Armistead is an all around who finished second in the U15 Male Iron, Board Race and Beach Flags at his recent state titles.
Combined with his impressive results at the Interstates and Freshwater carnival, Jordy is hoping to make an Aussies Final in Perth.
Will Mackinnon - Carlton Park - U15 Male
Will Mackinnon competes across beach and water events and at the Surf Life Saving Tasmania Open Championships won gold in the U15 Male Surf Race and Board Race, bronze in the Iron and finished just off the podium in the Beach Flags and Beach Sprint.
His results, combined with experience at Interstates and Freshwater carnivals, will give him some confidence heading into Aussies.
Hudson Hyland-Wealands - Devonport - U15 Male
Hudson Hyland-Wealands is a beach competitor from Devonport SLSC.
At the Surf Life Saving Tasmania State Championships he won bronze in the 2km Beach Run and gold in the U15 Male Beach Sprint - making him one a dark horse for the Aussies.
Luka Jackson - Burnie - U15 Male
Luka Jackson from Burnie SLSC will be one to watch at Aussies.
Luka is an avid beach runner and claimed gold in the 2km Beach Run at the 2023 Surf Life Saving Tasmania State Championships.
But Luka has also been training to improve in the water events and it paid off at the State Championships where he won gold in the U15 Iron and finished fourth in the Surf Race.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Delta Cross - North Cottesloe - U14 Female
Delta is hoping her great results from the Western Australian state championships will continue at the Aussies.
Delta won gold in the U14 Female Surf Race and Iron and bronze in the Board Race at the State Champs.
Tadhg Smith - Trigg Island - U14 Male
Tadhg Smith will be hoping for a home beach advantage at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.
The U14 athlete won the Surf Race at the WA state titles and finished third in the Iron. One to watch in home waters.
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