Hunter nippers have delivered on the biggest stage to capture gold at the Australian Youth Surf Life Saving Championships in Perth.

Cooks Hill SLSC duo Lily Egan and Alexis Sutherland and Swansea-Belmont’s Kaitlin Rees and Kaleah Kingston produced impressive performances to return home as the nation’s best in their respective disciplines.

The iconic Scarborough Beach played host to more than 1,000 competitors across the sand and surf at the weekend.

And, Egan and Sutherland added another medal to their club tally, winning the under-14 female board relay.

“It was so close in the swim and board, it was neck-and-neck between us and Sunshine Beach,” Sutherland said.

“We just worked together and got our rate up – it feels so amazing, it’s such a good feeling to win Aussies gold.

“Team events are so much more fun, when you medal or you have a good result… it’s just so much better to share the feeling with your friends.”

It was a Newcastle flavour in the female surf race teams, with Rees and Kingston prevailing on the day.

Rees said they were thrilled to be able to finally get the gold medal they had been working so hard for.  

“We were kind of nervous,” she admitted.

“Because obviously we wanted to go good in this event since previous years we’ve gone great but just haven’t medalled.

“So, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves, however we’re glad we came through with the win.

“We got third at states but that was with a wave on, so we were a bit concerned there wasn’t [going to be] any waves here, but we still managed to get the win so we’re happy.

“It’s amazing to do it with your friends, it makes it that much more special and those are the things you remember.”

Other notable efforts by Hunter clubs included:

Redhead SLSC

• Alannah Dimmock (Australian champion in U13/14 2km Beach Run)
• Will Griffiths (silver in U14 Board Race)
• Rocco Ayre, Will Griffiths (silver in 2x1km Beach Run)
• Rocco Ayre, Will Griffiths, Sid Burns (silver in U13/14 Male Board Relay)
• Evie Waller (bronze in U13 Board Race)
• Sid Burns (bronze in U13 Ironperson)

Cooks Hill SLSC

• Will Munro (U13 Male Ironman, U13 Male Surf Swim)
• Lily Egan (U14 Female Board)
• Lexi Sutherland (U14 Female Surf Swim)
• Liam Sidwell (U15 Male Board)

Swansea-Belmont SLSC

• Phoebe Doran (U15 Beach)
• Emerson Leadbeatter and Phoebe Doran (U14/15 2x1km Beach Run)
• Kaitlin Rees, Xanthe Calov and Daisy Breasley (U14/15 Board Relay)
• Kaitlin Rees (U15 Board Race)
• Will Paterson (U14 Board Race)
• Thomas Chalmers (U13 Board Race, U13 Ironperson, U13 2km Beach Run)
• Mitchell Chalmers (U13 2km Beach Run)
• Mitchell and Thomas Chalmers (U13/14 2x1km Beach Run)
• Taj Williams (13 Board Race)
• Will Paterson, Kai Cook and Ollie Russell (U13/14 Board Relay)

For more sports stories:

• ‘Stoked’ Vaughan lifts Surfest trophy
• Local teens heading to Korea for International Children’s Games
• Newcastle Rebels win 2023 Country Championships

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