Taj’s Small Fries Launches 2026 Surfing Australia Junior Series as First 10,000-Point Event

Australia’s next wave of surfing talent delivered a statement performance at the 21st edition of Taj’s Small Fries, with eight champions crowned in flawless conditions at Smiths Beach on Western Australia’s iconic Yallingup coastline. As the first 10,000-point event of the 2026 Surfing Australia Junior Series, the event set an early benchmark for the year ahead.

Across four days of competition, Taj’s Small Fries once again lived up to its reputation as one of the country’s most prestigious junior events, attracting elite talent from across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Competitors were rewarded with consistent, high-quality waves, culminating in a finals day defined by precision, composure, and standout performances across all divisions.

The Under-18 Boys final saw Palm Beach’s Jesse Ferguson continue a dominant run through the event, posting a commanding 17.53 heat total to claim the title ahead of local hope Ace Flynn. Ferguson, a previous Small Fries champion, was never headed after opening with strong scores and capitalising on the quality Smiths Beach offered throughout the final.

In the Under-18 Girls division, Alice Hodgson claimed her first Taj’s Small Fries title after a tightly contested final against Dunsborough’s Poppy Redman-Carr. Hodgson’s ability to find scoring opportunities on both lefts and rights proved decisive, edging out Redman-Carr in the closest final of the event.

One of the standout moments of the day came in the Under-16 Boys final, where Narrabeen’s Jaggar Philipps produced a near-perfect 9.87 — the highest scoring wave of the event — on his way to an emphatic win. Linking a series of powerful turns before finishing with a critical close-out manoeuvre, Philipps’ performance underlined the exceptional standard on display throughout the week.

The Under-16 Girls title went to Miami’s Miller-May Berg, who showed patience and maturity to capitalise when the swell filled in late in the final. Berg posted her best wave of the event in the closing moments to secure the win and build early momentum for the 2026 season.

In the Under-14 divisions, Bondi’s Clement Piellard claimed victory in a dramatic Boys final, sealing the win with a late 8.17 under intense pressure, while Torquay’s Estella Carbonelli successfully defended her Under-14 Girls title after a high-quality, back-and-forth final against close friend Stevie O’Day.

The youngest divisions also delivered strong performances, with Vada Wessel taking out the Under-12 Girls and Alessandro Dotti claiming the Under-12 Boys title, highlighting the depth of talent emerging at the grassroots level of Australian surfing.

Now in its third decade, Taj’s Small Fries continues to play a pivotal role in the development of Australia’s future surfing stars. Past competitors and champions include the likes of Felicity Palmateer, Jack Robinson, Bronte Macaulay, and Jacob Willcox, and the 21st edition further reinforced the event’s legacy as a proving ground for the sport’s next generation.

FINAL RESULTS – TAJ’S SMALL FRIES
 
Under 12 Girls
Champion: Vada Wessel (Casuarina, NSW) – 9.84
Runner-Up: Myra Brown (Albany, WA) – 8.83
 
Under 12 Boys
Champion: Alessandro Dotti (Bali, Indonesia) – 17.54
Runner-Up: Levi Lowe (Byron Bay, NSW) – 16.00
 
Under 14 Girls
Champion: Estella Carbonelli (Torquay, VIC) – 16.14
Runner-Up: Stevie O’Day (Torquay, VIC) – 14.80
 
Under 14 Boys
Champion: Clement Piellard (Bondi, NSW) – 14.50
Runner-Up: Hayden Mee (Newcastle, NSW) – 12.93
 
Under 16 Girls
Champion: Miller-May Berg (Miami, QLD) – 15.73
Runner-Up: Charlotte Rielly (Sunshine Coast, QLD) – 10.27
 
Under 16 Boys
Champion: Jaggar Philipps (Narrabeen, NSW) – 18.54
Runner-Up: Kade Kelly (Newcastle, NSW) – 12.66
 
Under 18 Girls
Champion: Alice Hodgson (Kiama, NSW) – 13.44
Runner-Up: Poppy Redman-Carr (Dunsborough, WA) – 13.10
 
Under 18 Boys
Champion: Jesse Ferguson (Palm Beach, QLD) – 17.53
Runner-Up: Ace Flynn (Cowaramup, WA) – 14.07