NSW junior surfing titles a win for Illawarra locals Oceanna Rogers, Lennix Smith - ABC News

The hosting of the NSW state junior surfing titles in the Illawarra seems to have paid off with two local surfers winning the Under 18s male and female events at East Corrimal Beach on Saturday.

Key points:

• Champions were crowned over the weekend in the U18s and U16s divisions of the NSW junior surfing titles
• The event, held at various beaches in Wollongong, seemingly gave advantage to local surfers
• Surfing NSW had to delay the event due to COVID-19 so were pleased when the waves "turned on"

Lennix Smith from Barrack Point defeated Sydney northern beaches surfer Kobi Clements, surfing to victory in the small, windblown waves.

"I was just trying to keep busy the whole time and trying to find one with a little corner that would give me a little section to hit," Smith said.

"I am so stoked, super stoked." 

Shellcove surfer Oceanna Rogers won the female U18s defeating Keira Buckpitt from Culburra, who is also a member of the Ulladulla Boardriders Club on the south coast.

Rogers showed patience to wait for the right wave and utilise her priority in the 20-minute, four-person final.

"I had priority so I wanted to go the best wave possible. I waited so long but finally the wave came through," she said.

For Oceanna Rogers patience paid off in waiting for the right wave to win the U18s female final.(ABC Illawarra: Nick McLaren)

Event delayed from earlier in the year

Surfing NSW had to delay the event due to COVID-19 and the numbers were down with a double vaccination policy for over 16s.

But for spokesman Ethan Smith the delayed event was well worth the wait.

"Give the kids something to work towards," he said.

"A lot of them have been putting in a fair amount of work over the course of the last 12 or 18 months so it was nice to be able to give them an event.

"The waves certainly turned on over the course of those couple of days as well, which made it even better."

Central Coast surfer Hughie Vaughan put on a spectacular display on day one when the waves were up.(Supplied: John Brown, Surfing NSW)

Champions were also crowned in the Under 16s event with Eden Hasson from Port Stephens winning the males, Hughie Vaughan from the Central Coast second, and Port Kembla's Samuel Lowe fourth.

Milla Brown from Newport in Sydney won the U16s female event with another Illawarra local, Zahlia Short from Austinmer, second.

The Under 14s event is continuing with more state champions due to be crowned on Monday.

Illawarra newsletter: Local news in your inbox

ABC Illawarra will deliver a wrap of the week's news, stories and photos every Thursday. Sign up here.

Surfer Milla Brown on her way to a win in the U16s.(ABC Illawarra: Nick McLaren)

Adblock test (Why?)

NSW junior surfing titles a win for Illawarra locals Oceanna Rogers, Lennix Smith - ABC News
Read More