The Sunshine Coast is hosting one of the most dynamic surfing competitions in the world in April this year.
The Festival of Bodysurfing starts with a weekend of competition at Coolum Beach called the Coolum Wedge, followed by four exhilarating days of world-class bodysurfing at five beach locations for the World Bodysurfing Titles 2025.
Bodysurfing proponents maintain that bodysurfing is surfing in its purest form: just the athlete, a pair of fins, and the ocean. Bodysurfers feel the wave against themselves and use their bodies in place of surfboards, changing position to the contours and flow of the wave.
Anyone who grew up swimming in the ocean started out by having a crack at bodysurfing. It’s almost part of their DNA, right? It’s the first wave they ever catch in their lives and it’s also likely to be the way they ride their last wave.
We see the famous surfers in their world comps, ocean swimmers with their regular meets, but who knew bodysurfing was a highly competitive, internationally recognised sport?
And it’s a spectacular spectator sport, with competitors aged eight to 80.
Event details:
PART ONE
Coolum Wedge Surfing Festival
Thursday 24 April to Sunday 27 April
The Coolum Wedge competition takes place at the stunning Coolum Beach, which is located at the end of a long stretch of beach breaks running south from Noosa National Park.
Coolum Wedge is open to all age groups and is a delightfully fun competition known for its camaraderie.
It’s not uncommon to compete against someone in a heat and to then have them your biggest cheerleader on the beach in the next.
One of Queensland’s hidden gems, Coolum Beach is sheltered in the corner of a headland and can handle any of the funky winds thrown at it.
PART TWO
International Bodysurfing World Title Finals
Monday 28 April to Wednesday 7 May 2025
96 of the world’s best bodysurfers from 15 countries are participating in the World titles, it’s only the second time they have been run, and the first time outside of Hawaii.
Four days of competition will take place over the 10 days and it’s all based on what Mother Nature serves up in the way of ideal surf conditions.
Five secret locations have been nominated and as the festival unfolds, the event organisers make a call as to when and where the next day of competition will be held.
This format will allow the world’s best bodysurfers to showcase their incredible skills and will cumulate in the crowning of the male and female world champions.
These events are thanks to their major sponsors Bendigo Bank – Marcoola, Tewantin, Cooroy and Sunshine Coast Council.
