NEWCASTLE Grammar (boys) and Swansea High (girls) have risen to the top at The Mutual Bank High School Team Challenge finals held at Nobbys beach as part of Surfest 2024.
Newcastle Grammar 1 (Brin Valaire, Ocean Lancaster, and Lachlan Smith) rose to the top of the huge field of 56 teams (schools allowed multiple teams) contesting the boy competition, while Swansea High (Millie Moore, Kyla Renes, Ava Moore, Summer Ward and Daisy Delaney) rose to the top of the 15 girls’ teams that entered the event.
The contest saw near perfect A-frames peeling in clean, offshore, 1-2 metre conditions on the first day of competition on Thursday at South Bar Beach. A huge southerly change forced a messy, huge swell into the east facing beaches. Friday’s competition moved to Nobbys bank. Challenging conditions saw waves up to 2 metres smashing into the bank and the lower tide proved difficult where wave selection was crucial.
Surfest organiser Warren Smith said The Mutual Bank High Schools Team Challenge offered a unique format where surfers were rewarded for criteria that emphasised team performance.
“This event requires a team strategy and a willingness to consider how any decision in the water will impact the criteria being used to determine the heat and contest,” he said.
“I’d like to thank The Mutual Bank for coming on board for a second year and sponsoring the event and providing the opportunity for students to again surf here over the past two days.
“Thanks once again to the teachers for their enthusiastic support of their students, and we look forward to doing it all again in 2025,” he said.
It is the second year running the Hunter-based bank has sponsored the event, which showcases up and coming junior surfers in a team event.
The Mutual Bank’s Chief Member Officer Matthew Dunnill said sponsoring the High Schools Teams Challenge at Surfest was the perfect opportunity for The Mutual Bank to achieve its goal of helping people thrive.
“The Mutual Bank High Schools Team Challenge is a great opportunity for young, surfers to showcase their talent, with a focus on teamwork,” he said.
“This is invaluable experience for these young surfers, both in and out of the water, and it’s an exciting show to watch.”
The Mutual Bank High School Team Challenge
Results
Boys
1. Newcastle Grammar 1 (94.7)
2. St Francis Xavier’s College (66.5)
3. Newcastle High 1 (55.4)
4. Swansea High 1 (46.4)
Girls
1. Swansea High (44.5)
2. Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College 1 (27.7)
3. Tomaree High (27)
4. Bulli 2 (25.6)
Competing High Schools 2024
Boys
Bulli High
Catherine McAuley Catholic
Gorokan High
Great Lakes High
Lambton High
Mackillop College Port Macquarie
Newcastle High
Newcastle Grammar School
Newmans Senior Technical College
South Sydney High
St Brigid’s Catholic College
St Edward’s College
St Francis Xavier’s College
St Mary’s Catholic College Gateshead
St Pius X High School
St Phillips Christian College
Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College
Whitebridge High
Girls
Bulli High
Catherine McAuley Catholic College
Gorokan High
Mackillop College Port Macquarie
Newcastle High
Newcastle Grammar School
St Marys Catholic College
St Phillips Christian College
St Pius X High School
Swansea High
Tomaree High
Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College
Surfest Newcastle Australia is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Surfest Newcastle Australia 2024 presented by Reflections Holiday Parks is also proudly supported by Burton Automotive, The City of Newcastle, Reflections Holiday Parks, crowd funding from the Newcastle business community, and Newcastle and Hunter Regional businesses.
