The once sleepy coastal village of Kingscliff is set to become a sports mecca next month as thousands of athletes and sporters flock to the town for four major sporting events in four weeks.
The Tweed Coast village will host the Kingscliff Triathlon on March 5-6, followed by the NSW State Junior Surf Life Saving Titles from March 11-13, with the Masters and Open events to follow from March 17 to 20.
The month-long sporting extravaganza will finish up with the annual Iconic Malfunction Long-board Surf Festival from March 23-27.
“It is good to see,” Tweed Mayor Councillor Kevin Skinner said.
“It is a chance to enhance the reputation of Kingscliff and is definitely an opportunity for people to come down and not only enjoy the cafe precinct but also enjoy all the sporting events that will be going on.
with the triathlon and surfing events already happening annually, while the Tweed Shire Council has worked hard to secure the surf lifesaving events for the region for the next two years.
NSW Surf Life Saving president Tony Haven said the titles would bring more than $18 million into the local economy and almost 8000 competitors over the two weeks.
“The State Champion-ships have been a hugely popular and successful event over the past few years and I’m sure the Cudgen Headland team of volunteers are looking forward to welcoming elite surf sports competitors from around the State,” Mr Haven said.
“It’s good for everyone in NSW and more especially for the local area. It will bring a lot of people and money to the Tweed.
“Tweed Shire Council has been enormously supportive and the championships will showcase the region as an events-based tourism hub.”
Councillor Skinner said the surf lifesaving titles would bring money to the region but also raise the profile of the local surf lifesaving clubs.
“An event of this size takes an enormous commitment at all levels, but the more we can showcase and boost the competitive arm of surf lifesaving in our region, the better.
“We hope it will also highlight the other important aspects to Surf Life Saving, the great work done by our volunteer lifesavers to keep the public safe each summer.”
The Malfunction, one of Australia’s leading long-board surfing events, moved to Kingscliff four years ago after 24 years on the Gold Coast and organiser Sean McKeweon said the event has grown well since crossing the border. The competition attracts more than 250 competitors of all levels from throughout Australia and from overseas and also has a family festival feeling.
“We were facing over-crowding on the Gold Coast and we were approached by Kingscliff locals to move the event south,” he said.
“To move an event of this size is quite an undertaking. But we realised how good the wave at Kingscliff is – when you look at it, that break has produced some amazing surfers, including Stephanie Gilmore, Ray Gleave and the Bevans – world class surfers.
“It has been great for the Malfunction, it has given us the opportunity to grow the festival side of things.”
This year’s Malfunction will include a record number of divisions including legs of the ASP Longboard Qualifying Series for men and women, amateur divisions for various age groups, stand-up paddle surfing and racing, retro boards and even an old mal division.
The Triathlon, which will kick off the month-long sporting festival, also attracts competitors of all ages and abilities, from young children right through to the serious competitor
