A historic club is poised to host a carnival with thousands of competitors during its centenary season.
The Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Club will host the Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships on February 16-19 (youths) and February 24-26 (seniors and masters).
Dozens of clubs will have participants on the beach and in the water.
MSLSC director of surf sports Trent Robinson said there was a sense of nostalgia around the club.
“We’ve already had a book launch and a re-enactment of a patrol and surf carnival this season and we will have our centenary ball in May,” he said.
“It’s been great to see all the old guys – the life members – at the club and it will be good to have them at the state titles.
“They will be coming down to the beach and watching and supporting members.”
Mr Robinson said hosting the carnival could be a pivotal moment for the club, which has revamped its surf sports program.
“We used to be such a strong club (in competition), so hopefully having the states here is a turning point for us,” he said.
“Hopefully we can build on it and go even better next year.”
The club’s surf sports department has undergone a transformation, with the appointments of Mr Robinson, along with ex-elite competitors Rhys Drury and Maddy Dunn as coaches.
The club will boast about 40 participants in the youth championships and a strong continent in the senior and masters’ championships.
Mooloolaba will also have some highly competitive surf boats crews, including the Australian under-19 champions.
Local clubs Alexandra Headland and Maroochydore were expected to major threats at the state championships, while Gold Coast’s Northcliffe and Burleigh Heads should also be genuine contenders. Currumbin is the dominant force in surf boats.
Mr Robinson expected good racing during the youth championships, despite recent powerful surf.
“There should be really nice, perfect conditions,” he said.
“It should be typical Mooloolaba, with an east-southeast breeze and a nice, little wave for the youths.”
While several local beaches were battered by the recent big swell, Mooloolaba was left relatively unscathed.
“We didn’t have much erosion, so we’ve been really fortunate,” he said.
“And we had council down here on Monday morning, pushing some sand around for the beach arena.”
The beach events will be held in front of the Mooloolaba Surf Club, while the water events will be held just to the south.
It’s hoped the surf boat events can be held a bit further to the south, along the Spit.
The state championships represent a perfect lead-up to the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, which will be held on the Sunshine Coast next year.
The Aussies will be held at Maroochydore, Alexandra Headland and Mooloolaba.
Alexandra Headland and Mooloolaba were named hosts of the state championships last year, but the event was suspended and ultimately cancelled after wild weather caused flooding in the region.
Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Club has more than 1425 members.
Mooloolaba Nippers is one of the largest Nipper programs on the Sunshine Coast, with more than 450 children participating per season and Starfish Nippers for children with disabilities.
The Surf Club Mooloolaba supporters club has more than 260,000 visitors annually and more than 50,000 members.
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