Sport
8 November, 2026
Palm Cove club No.1 at titles
CAIRNS Surf Life Saving Club has defended its crown at the North Australian Surf Life Saving Championships after an action-packed weekend of competition in Mackay.
The North Queensland club sat at the top of the overall leaderboard (1118 points), ahead of Wide Bay’s Elliott Heads SLSC (909) and host club Mackay SLSC (713).
Cairns won the junior club championship, masters club championship, march past, handicap and overall club championship.
The age champions were:
Under-11 – Finn Cockrem
Under-13 – Lucy Coverdale
Under-14 – Ben Limpus
Under-15 – Mia Bamford
Under-15 – Ben Bissett
Under-17 – Kiara Williams
Masters 60-69 – Swampy.
The Cairns competitors named in the Queensland Country Team are:
Under-13 – Ash Cockrem and Lucy Coverdale
Under-14 – Ben Limpus and Layla Young
Under-15 – Hugh Yu, Ben Bissett, Mia Bamford and Lacey Taylor
Under-17 – Kiara Williams.
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A club spokesman said every single Cairns competitor came away with at least one medal.
“That’s something pretty special,” he said. “But there was something even more special happening across the weekend.
“Our team’s sportsmanship was exceptional.
“The encouragement, support, respect and pride shown by our competitors throughout the championships were a credit to our club.”
Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) surf sport manager Stuart Hogben said, while there was fierce competition on show, the weekend showed the values that made surf lifesaving so special.
“The North Australian Surf Life Saving Championships are one of the highlights of the northern surf sports calendar and this past weekend showed exactly why they are so highly regarded,” he said.
“Bringing together hundreds of athletes from across Queensland and Northern Australia, the championships were hotly contested but everyone competed with the dedication, skill and spirit that exemplifies what it means to be part of surf lifesaving.
“It was fantastic to see so many athletes, volunteers and spectators flock to Mackay for the event and we look forward to returning in 2027.”
The weekend also saw selection of the Queensland Country Youth Team, set to compete at the Queensland Interbranch Championships against Sunshine Coast, South Coast and Point Danger branches on the Gold Coast in early December.
They include nine from Cairns SLSC, three from Ellis Beach SLSC, two from Port Douglas SLSC and one from Mission Beach SLSC.
Team manager Natalie Cumming congratulated those selected for the team, after a weekend of tight competition among all age groups.
“Selection for the Queensland Country team is very competitive and every athlete named in the team has worked incredibly hard for the opportunity,” she said.
“We are excited to see them represent their region at the interbranch championships and push for higher honours.”
