The nation’s best emerging surfers are set to arrive in Wollongong, New South Wales, for the 2025 Australian Junior Surfing Titles — Australia’s premier junior surfing event and the pinnacle of the Surfing Australia National Junior Series.
This prestigious competition offers emerging talent the opportunity to join an elite list of past champions, including Stephanie Gilmore, Molly Picklum, Sally Fitzgibbons, Laura Enever, Tyler Wright, Nikki Van Dijk, Coco Cairns, Owen Wright, Joel Parkinson, Mick Fanning, Taj Burrow and Reef Heazlewood.
More than 250 athletes will compete across seven days, with the opening ceremony kicking things off on November 28th. As the final event of the Australian Junior Surfing Series season, each age division winner will earn 12,000 points. Champions of the U16 and U18 divisions will earn a spot in the Australian National Surfing Team, The Irukandjis, for the 2026 ISA World Junior Surfing Championships!
Surfing Australia Contest Director Glen Elliot highlights the significance of this event for Australia’s next generation of surfing talent:
“This competition is a vital launchpad to the World ISA Titles and the World Surf League, a clear pathway for Australia’s rising talent to chase Olympic and World Tour dreams. One glance at the honour roll tells the story: some of Australia’s all-time greats started here. This event doesn’t just crown champions; it creates them.”
Wollongong’s coastline offers an exceptional range of high-quality surf locations, providing competitors with consistent, world-class conditions. The region’s beaches are renowned for their variety, reliability, and strong surfing culture.
We’re genuinely looking forward to returning to Wollongong, a community that continues to support and elevate Australia’s next generation of surfers.”
2024 U14 Girls Champion, Talia Tebb (Kincumber, NSW) has kept the momentum rolling into 2025. She’s already notched two wins at the Junior Regional Series on the Central Coast and the Australian Junior Online Surf Championships, and backed it up with a runner-up finish at the Phillip Island GromSearch. Reflecting on last year’s victory, Tebb is aiming to continue her dominant year with another win in Wollongong:
“Last year’s Aussie Junior Titles in Wollongong were unreal. It was my first national titles, and the opening ceremony set the tone for an amazing week. The sand ceremony, where each state brought sand from their beach and combined it in one jar, was really special.
Seeing every state come together in their uniforms and catching up with friends from around the country was so much fun.
I was so excited to make the final and win the Under 14 Girls! Being chaired up the beach by my NSW teammates with the Aussie flag is a moment I’ll always remember. I can’t wait to get back to Wollongong and chase another title.”
2024 U14 Boys Champion Zac Johnston (Gold Coast, QLD) is currently third on the U16 Boys rankings after a strong season, highlighted by a win at the Australian Junior Online Surf Championships and a runner-up finish at Occy’s Grom Comp at Snapper Rocks:
“Winning the Under 14s Australian Title last year was a surreal feeling, especially coming into the event as a wild card. It gave me a lot of confidence heading into the 2025 season and left me hungry to keep that momentum going.
It’s been a really fun year, and I’m excited to head back to Wollongong to compete again — we scored such good waves there last year. I’m looking forward to the challenge of moving up into the Under 16s division this year and hope to qualify for the ISA World Titles. I’m also representing my school in the MR Shield, which will be another fun part of the event.”
Twin sisters Rosie and Eliza Richardson will be competing side by side in Wollongong. Eliza championed this event two years in a row in 2022 and 2023, but after missing out on a three-peat last year due to a broken ankle, she’s eager to make up for lost time.
“Super excited to be competing at this year’s Aussies! The comp means a lot to me, especially having won back-to-back in 2022 and 2023.
Last year I was out with a broken ankle, so I’m really looking forward to getting back in the water. My twin sister Rosie competed in the U16s and surfed really well to place 3rd — it was tough watching from the sidelines and not being able to compete!
It’s also such a fun time to catch up with all my friends from around Australia.”
Jesse Fergusson (Sunshine Beach, QLD) started his year strong with a 2nd place at Occy’s Grom Comp at Snapper Rocks, followed by a 3rd at the Oz Grom Open at Lennox Head the following week. Unfortunately, an ankle injury sidelined him for several months. Set to return in Wollongong, Fergusson is aiming for a strong finish to the year:
“I’m super excited to be surfing in my 4th Aussie Titles in 2025. At the start of the year, I had some solid results in the Junior Series at the Occy Grom Comp at Snapper and the Oz Grom Open at Lennox. I unfortunately hurt my ankle doing an air at Lakey Peak and needed a few months to recover and reset, but now I am hoping to end the year well at Aussies!”
As Australia’s best junior surfers take to Wollongong, the 2025 Australian Junior Surfing Titles promises to deliver thrilling performances, fierce competition, and unforgettable moments. From defending champions to rising stars, Wollongong is once again the stage where future legends are made.
All the finals day action will be streamed live on Surfing Australia’s YouTube channel. Watch LIVE on Friday, 5th November
For the full heat draw, visit LiveHeats.
About the Australian Junior Surfing Titles
The Australian Junior Surfing Titles encompass individual divisions for U14–U18 junior men and women, as well as a school surfing division for U16–U19 (MR Shield) junior men and women.
Champions in the U16 and U18 men’s and women’s divisions will earn selection to the Irukandjis Team to represent Australia at the 2026 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.
The seven-day competition window runs from November 29th to December 5th 2025, with the opening ceremony scheduled for Friday, 28th November.
Event website: australianjuniorsurfingtitles.com.
The Australian Junior Surfing Titles are proudly supported by Destination Wollongong, Fujifilm Photos, Globe, Ritual Vision, Salty Crew, Wollongong Surf Leisure Resort, BLACKROLL, and Surfers For Climate
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