The Port Stephens Surf Festival will return in April, bringing with it 200 longboard and stand up paddle board surfers to the area for a week's worth of state title competition.
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The annual week-long festival will combine the NSW SUP and NSW longboard state titles for ages from under-18 to over-70, and will see close to 30 NSW state champions crowned.
"We are so lucky to be able to work alongside Port Stephens Council to deliver these events. They make it so easy and it's always a great time working together," a Surfing NSW spokesperson told the Examiner.
"We have always been blessed with the waves as well. Whether it's Birubi or on the point at One Mile, the waves on offer for the longboard and SUP competitors are world class.
"Not to mention the breathtaking coastline which makes for the perfect surf location.
"The breaks in Port Stephens are so diverse and offer and amazing opportunity for all competitors from long right hand point breaks to punch beach breaks.
"It's the ideal situation."
Birubi Beach will be the main area of competition with One Mile and Fingal Beach locked as backup event locations.
The festival will run Thursday, April 27 to Wednesday, May 3.
The SUP titles will be run across two days, there will be one day of kneeboards and five days of longboard competition.
The festival will crown 17 longboard champions and 20 SUP champions.
These athletes will then make up Team NSW at the Australian Longboard Titles and Australian SUP Titles later in 2023.
Competition will begin each day at 7.30am.
The festival will follow the Surfers Rescue Port Stephens Pro, a 1000 point Qualifying Series event, being held at Birubi Beach from February 27 to March 1 and the Port Stephens SUP Challenge from March 10-12.
The Burton Automotive Surfest Wildcard Trials will be held at Birubi Beach from 7am on Saturday, February 18.
Division winners will receive entry into the pro and cadet Surfest events being held in Newcastle in February and March.
In other Port Stephens surfing news
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Ellie-Marie Watts
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
