Talented groms show their form in tough conditions at Reflections Cadet Cup

Eighty five of the most talented young surfers in New South Wales showed competitive flair and grit amid “tough” ocean conditions this weekend in the Reflections Cadet Cup at Rainbow Beach, Bonny Hills, on the Mid North Coast.

The Cup – a a 5500-rated event on Surfing Australia’s National Series calendar – is a partnership between Reflections, the largest holiday group in New South Wales, and Surfest, the biggest surfing festival in Australia.

World Surf League contender Callum Robson attended the Cup on Saturday, March 1, to run a surfing workshop for entrants before they hit the water for two days of competition.

Surfest director Warren Smith said conditions were rough thanks to a strong north-east swell and north-east winds caused by tropical cyclone Alfred further north, however the standard of surfing and ocean skills was exceptional.

“Conditions got rougher yesterday [Saturday, March 1] and were really testing for all the age groups, particularly the young groups, and today [Sunday, March 2] has been rough all day and we’ve had to reschedule events to accommodate the conditions,” Mr Smith said.

“The one thing that has impressed everyone, from our lifeguards to the judges, has been the level of surfing and the surf awareness that the kids have shown all the way through. It gives you so much faith in what they are doing with their parents and [surf] clubs. The lifeguards have been so impressed with how they read the surf, their surf ability and their attitude.”

The winners were:

• Under 12 Girls – Cleo Beesley (1, Lennox Head), Sage White (2, Moonee Beach) Rosie Barron (3, Byron Bay), Hazel Ralston (4, Woolgoogla)
• U12 Boys – Maverick Magugan (1, Avalon), Jaya Suhendra (2, Byron Bay ), Jack Yarrow (3, Merewether), Lachlan Pye (4, Dee Why)
• Under 14 Girls – Lily White (1, Blairgowrie), Coco Woolley (2, Boomerang Beach), Shelby O’Rourke (3, Woodburn), Charlee Walker (4, Lennox Head)
• U14 Boys – Harry Stephens (Port Macquarie), Mack Ringis (Highfields), Tymen Spierings (3, North Bondi), Sonny Leong (4, Cronulla)
• Under 16 Girls – Mali Adam (1, Byron Bay), Indi Vaughan (2, Bateau Bay), Jessie Silver (3, Fairlight), Lily McCaull (4, Anna Bay)
• U16 Boys – Joey Silk (Crescent Head), Kade Kelly (Newcastle), Rio Luther Barr (Bundagen), Jacob Sheehan (Bronte)

Launched in 2024 at Bonny Hills, the Reflections Holidays Cadet Cup has expanded to include a second event at Tuncurry, held in December.

Minister for Sport, Lands and Property, Steve Kamper, said the Cup was a milestone series for junior sport that further supported regional businesses through tourism.

“It’s wonderful to have the Cup now held in two Crown land locations by Reflections, which manages coastal holiday parks on Crown reserves in some of the best surf locations in New South Wales,” Mr Kamper said.

“These events support the growth of junior surfing talent with flow-on effects for local businesses who benefit from the spending of families, friends and fans who also attend.”

Reflections Chief Marketing Officer Peter Chapman said the Cadet Cup had been firmly embraced by the local community in Bonny Hills and Tuncurry and was moving from strength to strength.

“We believe that life’s better outside and we love connecting our guests with nature, and working with Surfest to host the Cup in two locations adds another layer of fun for our guests, who can watch all the action unfold and also enjoy the food pop-ups and live music in our parks that are part of the event,” Mr Chapman said.