Surfing NSW events manager, Luke Madden, who has run this event successfully for five years in the Port Stephens region, is excited to be bringing the event to the region for the next two years.

“We secured a three-year partnership with Shoalhaven City Council in bringing the event to the area,” Madden said.

“With great waterways and beaches it’s a perfect spot for the event.” 

“At Surfing NSW we promote the entire NSW coast and are proud to run an event on the far south coast to showcase to participants how good the area is.” 

Sussex Inlet was chosen as the prime location for the surfing component of the festival, however, the surfing was relocated to Narrawallee after the surf conditions proved more suitable on the day.

A number of suitable backup locations across the Shoalhaven were pre-determined leading up to the event.

“There’s three parts of the event, there’s the surfing, the technical and then the marathon,” Madden said.

“We had divisions from under 21 through to over 50s.

“In the surfing component we had about 90 competitors, in the racing we had about 30 or 40 in each race.

“It’s like short board surfing, the most critical manoeuvres in the section of waves is how they get scored."

The racing element of the event took place on day three of the festival in Jervis Bay with competitors racing from Vincentia to Callala Bay.

The location was chosen for its south-westerly wind direction.

“Like in the surfing event, we can be at any location that suits. With the racing they always want the down wind,” Madden said.

“It was about 11 km which was a bit of a hike.”

The event acts as the NSW State Stand Up Paddle Board Titles across surfing and racing, with the results of the event determining the NSW SUP Team for the 2015 Australian SUP Titles.

“Any international can compete, we had a couple of Hawaiian guys and some Queenslanders who came down,” Madden said.

“The highest placed NSW people then go on to Currumbin, in October, and represent at the national titles.”

Stand Up Paddleboarding is fast becoming one of Australia’s most popular recreational sports.

“I think it just links a number of people in all disciplines of surfing,” Madden said.

“The bays and the recreational market can tick it off as well.

“It’s ticking that recreational surf box and when those guys are getting better they’re coming to our state titles.

“The older demographic are kind of the more popular divisions.

“The over 50s have 24 [competitors] and the open men have 24, if you had short boarding, the ratio would be different.”   

Quarter finalist in the surfing division, Lana Hardiman from the Northern Beaches thought the Shoalhaven was an ideal spot to hold the three-day festival.

“Last year was our first year at state titles so we wanted to do it again and the South Coast is beautiful, so we thought we would come down,” Hardiman said.

“It’s well organised and it’s a great atmosphere.”

Finalists from Shoalhaven region included Tiahn Smith, Melissa McManus, Nathan Cross, Paul Mackie and Jason McManus.