Surf Coast, Bellarine storm Aussies with 33 medals

A DOMINANT week on the sand and in the surf has delivered 33 medals for Surf Coast and Bellarine athletes at the 2026 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.

 

Local competitors played a key role in Victoria’s haul of 72 medals across the week-long event, held in Queensland.

More than 7,000 competitors from over 300 clubs took part in about 550 beach and ocean events.

Anglesea was the standout local club, finishing with six gold and 12 silver medals.

 

Loui D’Andrea led the charge, claiming under-15 gold in both beach sprint and beach flags.

Fellow club member Bonnie McCarrol produced one of the meet’s strongest individual performances, securing four gold medals in adaptive board, beach sprint, the 500m run and beach flags, along with silver in the surf race and wade.

 

Jeremy Dalli also impressed, winning gold in the adaptive open men’s 500m run and adding three silver medals to the tally.

Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club president David Marsh said the results reflected years of work across the club.

 

“Aussies was amazing right across the spread of our athletes,” he said.

“Our under-13s joined Aussies for the very first time and made a few finals, and then the achievements just went up from there.

“Years of work has come to fruition here and it was great to see many other Victorian clubs do really well.”

 

Torquay’s Rory Reyntjies claimed silver in the open women’s longboarding and finished second in the beach run relay alongside fellow club member Mackenzie Allen.

Fairhaven, Ocean Grove and Jan Juc also featured among the medals in individual and team events.