Multiple-Australian champion Landen Smales from Noosa Heads won his first Australian Logger Title at 12-years-old when the Australian Titles were held on the Tweed Coast back in 2019.
This year, the longboard divisions of the 2024 Australian Surf Championships will run as a stand-alone event for the first time on Bundjalung Country in northern New South Wales.
Landen said he was looking forward to the Australian Longboard Titles returning to the region.
“I’m really looking forward to the Aussie Longboard Titles. It’s great to have the event moving to the Tweed Coast, Bundjalung Country this year,” he said.
“There are so many different breaks to choose from. Last year I won the Junior and Open Men’s Logger and I’m keen to compete in the new longboard division with the criteria change this year.
“The changes suit my surfing and I’ll be trying to lock in a spot in team Australia to compete at Worlds later in the year.”
The event will be held over six days from Thursday 12 September to Tuesday 17 September with possible event locations including Cabarita Beach, Hastings Point, Kingscliff Beach, Fingal Beach and Duranbah Beach.
The announcement follows Surfing Australia’s decision to hold the Australian Shortboard Titles, the Australian Para Surfing Titles and the Australian Bodyboard Titles in Port Macquarie, NSW (31 July – 8 August) and the Australian SUP Titles on Phillip Island in Victoria (22 October – 26 October).
Surfing Australia event director Rohan Fell said, “We’re looking forward to seeing the longboard divisions of the Australian Surf Championships at a new location that is suited to their style of surfing.”
“The Tweed Coast offers a range of point breaks and back beaches that are not only ideal for longboarding but it is also close to the Hyundai Surfing Australia High Performance Centre, which offers world-class training facilities, function rooms, accommodation, and other support services such as coaching and physio that will be made available to athletes during the event window.”
For more information, visit australiansurfchampionships.com/longboard.
