A few of Australia’s most gifted younger bodyboarders will compete at Duranbah Seashore when the Metropolis of Gold Coast Future Professional’s returns on July 11 and 12.
The occasion is introduced by Inverted Bodyboarding and Dan Leyshon, and kinds a part of the Worldwide Bodyboarding Committee Junior World Tour Rising Sequence.
The free spectator occasion will carry Australian junior riders along with worldwide entrants, together with rivals from Hawaii.
The Future Professional’s is the Australian leg of the Junior Rising Sequence and offers native followers an opportunity to see the following group of bodyboarding expertise in motion.
In a Q&A with The GC Minute, Gold Coast Bodyboard Membership President and occasion organiser Silas Ganciar stated internet hosting the occasion at Duranbah Seashore was a serious second for the Gold Coast bodyboarding neighborhood.
Ganciar stated internet hosting the occasion at Duranbah Seashore was a serious milestone for the native bodyboarding neighborhood and a powerful signal of the Gold Coast’s place within the sport.
“Internet hosting an IBC Junior World Tour Rising Sequence occasion at Duranbah Seashore is a crucial milestone for the bodyboarding neighborhood on the Gold Coast. It locations town amongst a choose group of locations that host an official IBC World Tour occasion, additional recognising the Gold Coast as one in all Australia’s premier bodyboarding locations,” Ganciar stated.
For younger Australian riders, the occasion additionally creates a extra real looking option to chase world championship qualification without having to journey abroad first.
“In bodyboarding rivals should be beneath 19 years of age to qualify as a junior, so this occasion is extremely essential for younger Australian bodyboarders, because it gives a practical and financially accessible pathway to qualify for the Junior Males Grand Last in Spain,” Ganciar stated.
“With out an occasion in Australia, many athletes would wish to journey to South America, Africa or the Maldives to earn qualifying factors, which will be fairly costly for junior rivals and their households.”
Ganciar stated the Rising Sequence provides younger riders the form of help and competitors format normally seen at skilled occasions.
“As a bodyboarding neighborhood, it’s essential that the younger rivals are mentored, have the proper help and alternatives to expertise what the professionals have. The Rising Sequence occasion provides Australia’s finest younger junior bodyboarders the chance to compete at a global degree, on dwelling soil and pursue their dream of qualifying for the Grand Last,” he stated.
“We noticed this firsthand ultimately 12 months’s occasion, the place each competitor raised their efficiency degree in pursuit of the title and worthwhile qualifying factors. It was nice to see plenty of Australian rivals who have been in a position to then go to the Gran Canaria Fronton King in Spain to compete within the Grand Last final 12 months.”
The occasion is anticipated to carry rivals, households and spectators to the southern Gold Coast, whereas additionally selling town’s seashores to a wider viewers.
“From an financial perspective, the occasion showcases the Gold Coast’s lovely seashores and world-famous waves to a global viewers whereas making a optimistic affect on the local people. By attracting rivals, households and spectators from interstate and abroad, the occasion will increase visitation to the area and helps native companies, together with lodging, hospitality and tourism operators,” Ganciar stated.
The occasion additionally provides native households a free weekend exercise at one of many Gold Coast’s most recognised surf spots.
“I’m certain many people has tried bodyboarding on the seaside throughout summer season. It’s a preferred sport as a result of it’s not costly and doesn’t take a variety of ability to initially study. You solely want to move right down to any Gold Coast seashores in summer season to see how many individuals do it for leisure,” Ganciar stated.
“I’d encourage everybody to return down and expertise the occasion, even should you’ve by no means adopted bodyboarding earlier than. It’s an important alternative to observe Australia’s finest younger bodyboarders, together with gifted worldwide rivals, carry out on one of many nation’s most iconic waves.”
He stated spectators can count on pace, energy and high-performance strikes within the water, with beachside activations additionally deliberate.
“Within the water, it is going to be about pace, energy, and the execution of strikes involving spins, flips and aerial tips,” Ganciar stated.
“There will even be a lot taking place on the seaside, together with our occasion companions’ activation tents the place guests can take pleasure in giveaways, study extra about their services, and join with native companies.”
“We could have plenty of meals choices accessible too, together with Unique Acai, with all proceeds supporting the Gold Coast Bodyboard Membership and being reinvested into creating the following era of younger bodyboarders.”
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Round 50 younger riders are anticipated to compete, giving spectators a powerful area throughout junior divisions.
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Riders can earn 500 factors towards the IBC Junior World Rankings, making the Gold Coast cease an essential qualifier.
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The occasion provides a pathway towards 48 spots within the IBC Junior Males Grand Last, held in Spain this October.
The Future Professional’s has been designed to offer junior athletes a professional-level competitors expertise.
It is going to embody a precedence judging system, seven Degree 3 accredited judges, dwell seaside commentary, a livestream broadcast, post-heat interviews and prize displays.
“The Future Professional’s is one in all Australia’s premier junior bodyboarding competitions as a result of it’s held identical to the grownup skilled divisions. The occasion contains a precedence judging system, a panel of seven Degree 3 accredited judges, dwell seaside commentary, a live-stream broadcast with commentary, post-heat winner interviews and prize displays,” Ganciar stated.
Ganciar stated the occasion stands other than different junior competitions by providing a stronger judging panel, wider publicity {and professional} media alternatives.
“Future Professional’s stands other than different junior bodyboarding competitions in Australia by delivering a professionally run occasion that meets the requirements of a global competitors. We carry collectively a few of Australia’s most skilled judges, lots of whom have officiated at main worldwide occasions, guaranteeing a high-quality and truthful competitors,” he stated.
“One other key level of distinction is our dwell occasion broadcast, which supplies athletes larger publicity to a wider viewers. We additionally conduct post-heat interviews with warmth winners, offering younger rivals with the chance to construct their confidence, develop their media abilities and promote themselves as rising athletes.”
He stated the prize pool additionally provides the competitors a stronger standing in Australian junior bodyboarding.
“Future Professional’s additionally provides the very best money prize pool of any junior bodyboarding occasion in Australia, additional reinforcing its standing because the nation’s finest junior bodyboarding competitors and offering younger athletes with a very world-class aggressive expertise,” Ganciar stated.
A number of main junior riders are anticipated to return for this 12 months’s competitors.
They embody 2025 Australian Rising Sequence winner Ossian Mackenzie from the Central Coast, Chase Thompson from Port Macquarie and Bodi Hugin from the Byron Hinterland.
Ossian Mackenzie and Sunshine Coast rider Jai Taylor each represented Australia on the IBC Junior Males Grand Last in Spain final 12 months.
Jai now competes within the grownup males’s competitors.
Ossian, the son of former skilled bodyboarder Steve “Bullet” Mackenzie, shall be aiming to proceed his rise by means of the junior worldwide rankings in 2026.
To qualify as a junior, rivals should be beneath 19 years of age.
Divisions embody Tremendous Grommets beneath 12, Grommets beneath 14, Cadets beneath 16, Juniors beneath 19 and Women beneath 18.
“We count on the identical excessive normal of competitors this 12 months, with thrilling performances that can showcase the way forward for Australian bodyboarding as they check their abilities towards worldwide rivals from Hawaii and different nations,” Ganciar stated.
South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales have lengthy been robust bodyboarding areas, helped by highly effective surf breaks and a historical past of elite riders.
“South East Queensland and Northern NSW have lengthy been recognised as breeding grounds for world-class bodyboarding expertise. The area has produced excellent athletes resembling Mitch Rawlins and Dave Winchester, each of whom spent a number of years ranked among the many world’s prime 5 skilled bodyboarders,” Ganciar stated.
“Different distinctive riders, together with Joe Clarke and Michael Novy, have additionally helped set up the Gold Coast and Northern NSW as one of many strongest bodyboarding areas on this planet.”
Ganciar stated these riders turned position fashions for youthful athletes, however modifications within the sport made worldwide competitors tougher to succeed in.
“These athletes turned position fashions for the following era, inspiring younger riders to pursue the game on the highest degree. Sadly, modifications to the World Tour and the numerous value of competing internationally meant that many gifted Australian riders who adopted didn’t have the identical alternatives to journey, compete and showcase their talents on the world stage,” he stated.
Future Professional’s was created to assist tackle that hole and provides younger Australian riders a clearer route into worldwide competitors.
“Future Professional’s was created to assist bridge that hole by offering younger Australian athletes with a real pathway to worldwide competitors. By internet hosting divisions for Tremendous Grommets, Grommets, Cadets and Juniors, we’re creating an surroundings the place youthful rivals can look as much as the older divisions and be impressed to proceed progressing by means of the ranks,” Ganciar stated.
“We’re already seeing that cycle in motion, with our junior rivals turning into position fashions for the youthful athletes. That’s the legacy we hope Future Professional’s will proceed to construct for a few years to return.”
The Gold Coast Bodyboard Membership has been energetic on the Gold Coast for greater than 20 years.
The non-profit sports activities organisation goals to create pathways into aggressive bodyboarding by means of teaching and growth.
The membership began at Duranbah Seashore as its proving floor and rapidly produced main names within the sport.
Its previous and current athletes embody Paul Barnard, Adam McNamara, Dave Winchester, Joe Clarke, Mitch Rawlins and Silas Ganciar.
A number of went on to compete on the world tour.
“We’re actually fortunate to have such excellent surf breaks in our yard. Individuals around the globe journey throughout continents to return right here and expertise seashores like Snapper Rocks and Duranbah,” Ganciar stated.
The occasion weekend at Duranbah Seashore will give younger riders two days to chase robust outcomes, rating factors and a doable place on the Junior Males Grand Last in Spain this October.
The occasion is free for spectators, with households, surf followers and beachgoers inspired to attend.
Ganciar stated the weekend can also be an opportunity for locals to help younger athletes at an essential stage of their careers.
“Australia has a historical past of manufacturing world-class bodyboarders and the bodyboarding neighborhood is an in depth one. We all know how essential it’s to help rising expertise,” Ganciar stated.
“The IBC Junior World Tour Rising Sequence gives a worthwhile pathway for the following era of elite riders to achieve worldwide expertise and recognition. If final 12 months’s competitors is something to go by, we’re anticipating nice circumstances and loads of pleasure for spectators.”
He stated the occasion ought to attraction to households and anybody wanting a day by the ocean.
“With two days of nice competitors, a incredible seaside ambiance and exquisite Gold Coast climate forecast, it’s the proper occasion for households, surf lovers and anybody on the lookout for a enjoyable day by the ocean,” Ganciar stated.
Sponsors for the occasion are Inverted Bodyboarding, Dan Leyshon, Solar Zapper and Delight Bodyboards.
Occasion supporters embody Division 14 – Councillor Gail O’Neill, Amazon Energy Acai, Rydges Gold Coast Airport, Laura Gerber MP, Medpods Telehealth, Vansite, Le’Petit Gourmand, Brullen Machines, Boogwax and Tim Oliver Images.
Extra info is on the market at IBC Junior World Tour Rising and Gold Coast Bodyboard Membership.
