500+ Students & 120 Teams: Record Breaking Australian Interschools Surfing Championships Presented by Breaka

GOLD COAST, QLD (May 15, 2026): Palm Beach Currumbin has taken home bragging rights as the nation’s best surfing school for the third year running at the Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka at Kirra Beach on the Gold Coast.

2026 saw a record-breaking number of participants, with over 500 students and 120 teams. Featuring one of the deepest and most exciting fields in the event’s history, the championships are the nation’s ultimate showcase of school surfing!

The opening day of competition got underway with clean 2-foot conditions at the iconic Kirra Beach, delivering a full day of high-energy performances and school spirit.

The unique tag team format set the stage for an electric atmosphere, with strong team camaraderie and plenty of cheer from the beach as surfers pushed the standard of school surfing to new heights. Rivalries between schools added a fierce competitive edge, with every heat hard-fought and action-packed.

Consistent standout performances came from Miami SHS, Palm Beach Currumbin, and Lindisfarne, all having several teams moving through to the finals, and posting multiple waves in the excellent range.

Friday’s Finals Day did not disappoint, with electric performances and edge-of-your-seat finishes crowning a new wave of school surfing champions!

In the Ford Australia Senior Women’s Final, Palm Beach Currumbin rose to the occasion with a smart and strategic approach. Through careful wave selection and composed team surfing, they posted a combined heat total of 18.30, securing a well-earned victory.

Palm Beach Currumbin also had two girls’ teams qualify for the Fuji Film Photo Junior Girls Final, which saw Palm Beach Currumbin Junior Girls Team 2 take the win over St Andrews Anglican College Junior Girls Team Red.

Palm Beach Currumbin Junior Girls Surfer, Navah Holmes, spoke on the school’s incredible depth of talent:

“We [Palm Beach Currumbin] are really lucky that we have six junior girls to make up two teams. The coaches evened each team out fairly, and it’s worked well, we both made the final!”

“We do three training sessions a week at school, two surfing, one in the gym, and it helps because we get to practice the tag team during that time! It feels really cool to represent my school on a national scale, especially since we’re all really good friends.”

In the Breaka Senior Men’s Final, Palm Beach Currumbin, Sunshine Beach SHS, and St. Augustine’s College Sydney went wave for wave in a high-intensity battle. But it was Palm Beach Currumbin who delivered the stronger all-round team performance, edging ahead to take the win by just 1.1pts in a nail-biting finish!

But it was the Thermos Junior Boys who delivered the most closely contested final of the event, with just 0.03 separating first and second place. In a tightly fought finish where only two of the six teams managed to complete the course, Palm Beach Currumbin Junior Boys Team 1 once again claimed victory ahead of Miami SHS Junior Boys.

The final, however, was not without drama. In the closing seconds, Margaret River’s final Junior Boys competitor was sprinting toward the finish line, only to be slowed by a stumble that ultimately prevented him from crossing in time. Had they finished, they

would have secured the win and the three points earned on completion, which would have ultimately made the difference.

Teacher and High Performance Surf Coach at Palm Beach Currumbin State High, Ben Falvey, spoke on behalf of the team about their success:

“This has gone from an event with individuals and teams, to growing so big that now there’s only teams! We always put it out to the kids, and ask them if they want to be a part of it, ‘give us your names, and we’ll put you in!’.”

“There are obviously quite a few teams that we had today. We didn’t have to travel too far, but thanks to all the teams that did travel! No final was easy, we got lucky, but we were pushed right through to the end and that’s exactly what growing kids in competitive surfing need! It’s been a fantastic event!”

An incredible two days of surfing, the 2026 Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka showcased outstanding talent from schools all across the country.

With fun conditions on offer and a remarkably high standard of performance in the water, the event was a true celebration of school surfing and Australia’s next generation of stars. 

Chris Symington, Surfing Australia Chief Executive Officer (CEO), couldn’t be more excited to see teams surfing at a school level rise to such popularity.

“This event has grown incredibly quickly over the past three years, and it’s exciting to now see more than 500 students from schools right across the country coming together on the Gold Coast in 2026. While the focus is certainly on high performance surfing, what really stands out is the energy, school spirit, and positivity these students bring to the event.

1978 World Champion and Surfing Legend Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew is excited to see so many students from all around the country come together:

“We’ve got students here from right across Australia representing their states, schools, and families, which makes for such a dynamic and exciting gathering.

What’s so special about this event is the connection and friendships that are formed along the way. Australia is such a vast country, and for these young surfers to come together through a shared passion creates bonds that can genuinely last a lifetime.

SPECIALTY AWARDS:

Thermos Wave Of The Event: Thomas Bourke – 9.67pts

Southern Cross University School Spirit Award: Margaret River Senior High School

Guzman Y Gomez Overall Performer Award: Amelia Craig – Palm Beach Currumbin

2026 Australian Interschools Surfing Championships Results:

Breaka Senior Men (YR 10, 11, 12):

1ST – Palm Beach Currumbin Team 1 – 18.63pts

2ND – Sunshine Beach SHS Team 1 – 17.53pts

3RD – St Augustines College Sydney Team 1 – 16.41pts

4TH – Miami SHS Team 1 – 16.07pts

5TH – Lindisfarne FANGS – 14.57pts

6TH – St Peters Anglican College Broulee Team 1 – 13.73pts

Ford Australia Senior Women (YR 10, 11, 12):

1ST – Palm Beach Currumbin Team 1 – 18.30pts

2ND – Cooee GC – 16.27pts

3RD – Margaret River – 15.97pts

4TH – Miami SHS – 13.70pts

5TH – Xavier Catholic College Team 1 – 9.76pts

6TH – St Peters Anglican College Broulee – 6.43pts

Thermos Junior Boys (YR 7, 8, 9):

1ST – Palm Beach Currumbin Boys Team 1 – 13.16pts

2ND – Miami SHS Team – 13.13pts

3RD –  Palm Beach Currumbin Boys Team 3 – 11.74pts

4TH – Margaret River – 11.60pts

5TH – Palm Beach Currumbin Team 2 – 10.60pts

6TH – Lindisfarne MOHATUS – 6.13pts

Fuji Film Photo Junior Girls (YR 7, 8, 9):

1ST – Palm Beach Currumbin Team 2 – 15.10pts

2ND – St Andrews Anglican College Team Red – 14.07pts

3RD – Palm Beach Currumbin Team 1 – 13.70pts

4TH – St Peters Anglican College Broulee – 11.61pts

5TH – Lindisfarne NALAS – 9.30pts

6TH – St Andrews Anglican College Team Blue – 6.10pts

The 2026 Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka is proudly supported by Ford Australia, Babybel, Southern Cross University, FujiFilm Photos, Thermos, Blackroll, Guzman y Gomez, Surfers For Climate and Blue Minds.

The 2026 Australian Interschools Surfing Championships presented by Breaka returned to the Gold Coast with proud support from Experience Gold Coast

Event website HERE.