The 2025/26 Surfest festival is the place to be to see some of Australia’s best surfers hit the waves in Newcastle. It’s not just one weekend of events; it’s nine events between now and March 2026 when the World Surf League (WSL) comes to town.
The first of the events held at Merewether Beach was the SURFEST QS 2000 Event where adopted Novocastrian Sarah Baum took out the Novotel Newcastle Women’s Pro competition and Dane Henry won the Frame Promotional Products Men’s Pro comp.
After three previous runner-up finishes at this event, Sarah was ecstatic to finally claim the win.
“I feel like I’ve gotten second so many times. It feels so good to win here in Newcastle where I have so much support. Thank you to everyone for supporting me. We had such awesome waves, thanks to Warren [Smith] and everyone for putting on a great event. Hopefully we can carry it over to the Challenger Series!”
This year is the tenth year that the Merewether Beach event has been crowdfunded by Newcastle businesses as part of the annual Surfest festival.
Newcastle Surfest Director Warren Smith thanked the 30 plus businesses who each contributed to making the weekend a success.
“We wouldn’t have been able to run the event without the unwavering support of the Newcastle business community. This is the tenth year we have run a crowdfunded event. This year we have two businesses who have been with us since the beginning of the initiative as the naming rights partners.
“The strength of the field is a clear reflection of the draw power Newcastle has in attracting top surfers to compete in this region.
“To be able to return to Newcastle Beach almost 40-years to the date of the first event back in 1985 brings back some very special memories,” Warren said.
The event at Merewether Beach is just one of three qualifying events in Australia for next year’s Challenger Series and the WSL event in March next year is the final stop on the WSL Challenger Series circuit.
Surfest has a long history in Newcastle originating in 1985 when the movers and shakers of the surfing scene wanted to showcase the beauty of Newcastle’s beaches and surf breaks to people outside of the region.
Since it’s inception it has become Australia’s largest surfing festival and the list of champions is extraordinary. Mick Fanning is a three-time world and Surfest champion, Occy has won twice and the female champs include Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons.
| Newcastle Surfest features nine events, including the Mutual Bank High School Challenge, Sanbah Cadet Cup, KB Pro Junior, Surfest Indigenous Classic, Evolution Charity Cup, Newcastle Surfest Trials, and the World Surf League Newcastle Surfest Challenger Series. You can find the schedule of events and all the info on Surfest at www.surfest.com |
