Australian surf life saving titles 2022: NSW, Queensland rising stars at youth titles

They are the surf stars of tomorrow performing today! Youngsters to watch at the Australian surf life saving youth championships from powerhouse states and old rivals NSW and Queensland.

They are the precociously talented young surf life savers whose names will be up in lights in the not too distant future.

Athlete to excel both in the surf and on the sand.

Youngsters ranging from under 13s to under 15s with talent to burn and surf life saving savvy competing across a wide range of sports at the Australian youth championships on the Gold Coast.

AUSSIES: NSW V QLD U17, U19 RISING STARS TO WATCH

AUSSIES: STARS AND STANDOUTS AT YOUTH TITLES

Given the biggest rivalry in surf life saving is between NSW and Queensland we decided to take a look at the best from both states after athletes from the 11 clubs in the Hunter, north of Sydney, won 30 per cent of all medals at last year’s youth championships.

The Australian youth surf life saving championships traditionally produce some of the best surf action. Pic: HarvPix

NSW RISING STARS IN YOUTH COMP AT AUSSIES 2022

Charlotte Bowmer - Wanda

A young U13 competitor whose best events are the swim and Iron person. She finished second at the state Iron last year Jy competition was cancelled this year due to the NSW floods and their impact.

Fred Carmody - North Bondi

Fred won gold in the U14 board riding last year at Aussies and was a finalist in the U14

ironman and swim races.

Olivia Clews - North Curl Curl

Olivia is the younger sister of Bailey who is also a talented life saver now making waves in kayaking. She is a standout and expected to do well on the board and in the iron racing.

Kai Cook and Ollie Russell - Swansea Belmont

These are two young guns to watch out from the powerhouse Swansea Belmont club. The pair are expected to do well in a number of events, including the swim, board and iron in the U13 age group

The Australian youth surf life saving championships attract the best youth athletes in the country. Pic: HarvPix

Elisha Cuthbert - Manly

Great young surf life saving competitor from the northern beaches in the water and competing in the U14 racing.

Kane Edwards - Redhead

A name to watch for. Kane won the state ironman title last year where he beat Alex Walker and is still in great form.

Tully Elliott - Redhead

Expected to shine in the iron and board events in the U15s competition. She medalled in the U14 iron at Aussies last year and has steppe dup and raced a few open events this season.

Billy Foran is a rising star of NSW surf life saving from the Hunter Region

Billy Foran - Swansea Belmont

Another young guns to keep your eye on in the board, swim and iron racing in the under 14s competition.

Noah Gibbs - Swansea Belmont

Excellent swimmer and also a talented footballer. Expected to be right in the running in a number of events at the youth titles.

Sam Higgs and Luke Higgs - North Curl Curl

Sam Higgs is a great pool swimmer and will do well in this event in the surf in the U15s competition.

Younger brother Luke Higgs is also a good swimmer and at states placed in the iron racing.

Zara Kasprowicz - North Curl Curl

The young daughter of former Waratahs player Simon Kasprowicz is competing in the under 14 racing and is a good swimmer and iron racer.

Noah Maggs - Newport

Another young talent who is expected to shine in swim board and iron racing events at the youth titles.

Dominique Melbourne will be at the Australian youth championships.

Dominique Melbourn - North Curl Curl

Dominique is a youngster on the rise and after winning the U14 iron race and then finishing second in the surf race is one to watch.

Sari McKee - North Cronulla

Sari’s strength is on the sand. Last year she won the under 14 2km beach sprint but has moved up an age. She will compete in 11 events.

Sam Murphy & Xavier Coates in board, swim, iron.

Sam came third in the U14 board race at Aussies last year and he and Xavier have proved a formidable team in the past, winning every state board title they have competed in together.

Katy Rees is one to watch at the Aussies.

Kaitlyn Rees - Swansea Belmont

Finished second in the iron race held at the NSW state titles this year - the only race held in her age before it was cancelled. She also won the board at the recent Summer of Surf event at North Bondi.

Liam Sidwell - Cooks Hill

Won the U13 ironman at state titles last year and is also a talented rugby player.

Rome Southwell - Wanda

A youngster who was originally with North Cronulla. Now racing in the U15s she is back after a break. The board and iron racing are her strongest events.

Dane Sutton - Wanda

Another U14 competitor who has improved significantly in recent times. His main focus is now the ironman racing.

Kobe and Ella Sorensen from North Cronulla.

Kobe Sorensen - North Cronulla

Kobe is a member of North Cronulla Surf Club and will compete in the beach events. In 2021 he won the U14 beach sprint and finished second in the U14 beach flags.

Pipi Te Pania - North Curl Curl

Pipi is competing in the under 14s competition after a great season at local events. A good strong all-rounder.

Jackson Turner - Cronulla

This under 14 competitor was a standout in his age last year, winning the NSW U13 surf race. He is reportedly in great form again this season.

Young gun Keira Vincent on the sand.

Keira Vincent - Wanda

Kiera is a force to be reckoned with on the sand and at the 2021 Australian Surf Life Saving

Championships won gold in the U14 beach flags and beach sprint.

Annabelle Waugh - North Bondi

Annabelle won gold in the U15 board rescue at the 2021 Aussies and bronze in the surf

teams. Having competed up an age group last year, and achieved some great results,

Annabelle will be one to watch this year in the U15 age group.

Teenager Alex Walker was one of the stars last season. s

Alexander Walker - Cooks Hill

Alex was a standout at the 2021 Australian championships, winning the U14 board race, U14 surf race and U14 iron race. This year, he will race in the U15 age group and will be looking to continue his winning form.

U13 Jack Wilkinson - North Bondi

An all-rounder to look out for in the U13 age group at the Australian Surf Lifesaving

Championships. He’ll look to capitalise on his strengths on the individual board and swim

events, and ironman

Brodie Wright - Redhead

From the Hunter, this teenager was in the top five or six in boards and iron races and is considered a talented all-rounder.

QUEENSLAND’S RISINGS STARS IN YOUTH COMP AT AUSSIES 2022

Britt Ackerley - Maroochydore

Britt will compete for the first time on the Gold Coast this year. Britt is a strong board paddler and will also race in the iron and swim events.

Pipi Barlow - Maroochydore

In the U14 2021/22 Queensland Beach Series, Pipi finished first overall. She is fast across the sands, and you’ll want to get down to Kurrawa Beach to watch her.

The Australian youth surf life saving championships traditionally produce some of the best surf action. Pic: HarvPix

Nicholas Carter - Alexandra Headland

Nicholas is competing in his first Aussies on the Gold Coast in the U13s and is a strong swimmer who also enjoys board and iron events.

Byron Dieckman - Maroochydore

Byron is an ironman in the making, and has achieved multiple top six finishes in the U15 Iron events at the Summer of Surf, Interbranch and Branch Championships so far this year.

Kobi Holden - Elliott Heads

Kobi will be the one to watch in the U15 events and has been a standout so far this summer - winning the Swim, Iron and Board at the Summer of Surf Hayden Kenny Classic and gold in the U15 ironman at Interbranch.

Grace Hughes - Tugun

Grace Hughes will be racing at her first Australian Surf Life Saving Championships this year. The Tugun junior’s strength is the board but she will also race in the swim and iron events.

Allie Hughes - Tugun

Allie is an all rounder in the surf. She is hoping to excel in water events including swim, board and iron races. In 2021 she won the U14 board race and finished third in the U14 ironwoman.

Belle Jackson - Maroochydore

Belle is a beach sprinter and was crowned the overall U13 2021/22 Queensland Beach Series. In her debut Aussies she will be one to watch in the beach flags and beach sprint events.

The youth championships kicks off Aussies 2022.

Marc Lumagbas-Smith - Agnes Water

Marc hails from Agnes Waters in the Wide Bay region and will race on the sand.

He will be one to watch in the U15 beach flags, as well as the beach sprint.

Milly Derbyshire - Northcliffe

Milly’s older sister is ironwoman Lucy Derbyshire. Milly is a strong board paddler and has had some solid results in the Summer of Surf and Interbranch competitions in recent times.

Taj Murray - North Burleigh

A talented board paddler, Taj has a dream of being a Nutri-Grain ironman one day. He is competing in the U13s and will be one to watch in the board and iron events.

Bailen Noy - Maroochydore

Speedster Bailen is a talented beach sprinter and finished first overall in the U13 Queensland Beach Series.

Byron Oliphant will be at the Australian youth championships.

Byron Oliphant - Alexandra Headland

Byron is an all rounder from Alexandra Headland and achieved some good results at the Summer of Surf, Interbranch and Branch.

Eliza Parish - Alexandra Headland

Eliza has her eyes set on podium performances and brings good form into the event after finishing first in the U15 ironwoman, third in the board race and fifth in the surf race at the Interbranch Championships.

Bianca Rayward - North Burleigh

Following in her older sisters footsteps, Bianca is a keen ironwoman who finished first in the event at the Hayden Kenny Classic and at the Interbranch Championships.

Jed Rowlands - Sunshine Beach

A strong swimmer, Jed will be one to watch at the Aussies. He has won a nukber fo events this season ahead of his first Australian titles..

Ava Usher - Northcliffe

Ava was a standout in the U14 age group last year for Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park and has recently moved to Northcliffe. her pet event is the board.

Ruby ‘Twiggy’ Williams - Maroochydore

Twiggy is a strong board paddler and has already won a number of gold medals this season at the Interbranch Championships and Branch Championships.

Vern Winter - Currumbin

Vern has been a standout performer for Currumbin with medals across the swim, board and iron events at the Interbranch Championships and Branch Championships.

Dylan Wilson - Sunshine Beach

Coached by former ironman Josh Minogue, Dylan is a strong swimmer and loves the surf race events.

Originally published as Australian surf life saving titles 2022: NSW, Queensland rising stars at youth titles