The Sunshine Coast is set to host several state and national surfing events, including the Sunshine Coast Pro, in 2021.
While local clubs plan to hold meets, including some well-established classics, the region will have an array of other carnivals.
The Queensland Surf Festival, the Noosa Festival of Surfing, the Queensland Junior Titles, the Queensland Grom Titles and the Uni Sport Australian Surfing Titles are set to be contested here while Parko’s Grom Stomp, the Rip Curl Grom Search and Woolworths Surfer Groms competitions are also on the cards.
The Sunshine Coast Pro is tentatively scheduled for September.
It should attract many professional and aspiring surfers from around Queensland, if not Australia.
The Sunshine Coast Pro has previously been an event on the Queensland Championship Circuit, but it was part of the new Australian Open of Surfing Series in 2020.
Locals Cooper Davies and Sophie McCulloch won the men’s and women’s divisions at Coolum Beach last year.
High-quality field expected
“When you look at who was in the finals of both divisions last year, they’re all kind of knocking on the door or the world tour,” Surfing Queensland official Ben Cochrane said.
“The event is not scheduled until September, so a lot could change between now and then, with borders and travel (restrictions for COVID).
“But even if people can’t travel far, we should still get many of the (country’s) best surfers there, (from the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast).”
The event is set to be part of the series again, along with other locations around the country.
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Meanwhile, the Queensland Surf Festival should attract a variety of board riders.
The nine-day meet, which was held initially last year, will boast shortboard, longboard, bodyboard and stand-up paddle board divisions.
Tentative schedule for Sunshine Coast, via Surfing Queensland
March 19-28: Queensland Surf Festival
May 15-23: Malibu Noosa Festival of Surfing
June 19-20: Queensland Junior Titles, Event One
July 24-25: Queensland Grom Titles, Event Two
August 10-12 Uni Sport Australian Surfing Titles
September 4-5: Sunshine Coast Pro (Australian Open of Surfing Series Event)
November 6-7: Parko’s Grom Stomp
December 11-12: Woolwoorths Surfer Groms Comp
December 13-16: Rip Curl Grom Search
