Young surfers from across NSW showed competitive flair and grit amid ‘tough’ ocean conditions last weekend, in the Reflections Cadet Cup, held at Rainbow Beach, on the Mid North Coast.
Lennox and Byron groms were among the winners, from 85 competitors.
The 5,500-rated event is a partnership between NSW government-run Reflections Holiday Parks, and Surfest, the biggest surfing festival in Australia.
Surfest director Warren Smith said conditions were rough thanks to a strong north-east swell and north-east winds caused by tropical cyclone Alfred further north, however the standard of surfing and ocean skills was exceptional.
Conditions got rougher on Saturday, which tested all the age groups, particularly the young groups.
On Sunday, Smith said it was rough all day, and ‘we’ve had to reschedule events to accommodate the conditions’.
Impressed judges
‘The one thing that has impressed everyone, from our lifeguards to the judges, has been the level of surfing and the surf awareness that the kids have shown all the way through. It gives you so much faith in what they are doing with their parents and [surf] clubs.
‘The lifeguards have been so impressed with how they read the surf, their surf ability and their attitude’.
Local winners
Local winners were: in the U12 girls category, Lennox Head’s Cleo Beesley came first, while Byron Bay’s Rosie Barron came third.
In the U12 boys category, Byron Bay’s Jaya Suhendra came second.
In the U14 girls category, Lennox Head’s Charlee Walker came fourth.
In the U16 girls category, Byron Bay’s Mali Adam came first.
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