Competitors are gearing up for the first “official” event on the 2022 Surfest calendar this weekend, the Lake Mac City Pro.

More than 100 of the best surfers in the region, aged 20 years and younger, will descend upon Redhead Beach on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 March to kick-start their World Junior Championship qualification campaigns underway.

The field for this year’s Lake Mac City Pro is littered with big names including current regional Qualifying Series rankings leaders Joel Vaughan and Nyxie Ryan.

“It’s exciting to see the Oceania Junior Series return in 2022,” WSL APAC tour manager Ty Sorati said.

“With each region getting two male and two female spots at the World Junior Championships, and the rankings going off each competitor’s top five results, a solid start at the Lake Mac City Pro is essential to everyone.

“And, with the age bracket widening to once again include 20 and under surfers, this will be a really hotly-contested season.

“It looks like there should be some fun waves around over the coming weekend, so we’re confident it will be an exciting couple of days of competition.”

The forecast suggests two-to-three-foot surf with light to moderate cross-onshore winds for Redhead Beach and the back-up location of Catherine Hill Bay. 

2022 SURFEST PROGRAM

• Saturday 12 – Sunday 13 March: Lake Mac City Pro Junior (Redhead Beach)
• Saturday 19 – Sunday 20 March: Sanbah Cadet Cup supported by Ocean and Earth South (Bar Beach)
• Thursday 24 – Friday 25 March: Surfest High Schools Team Challenge (Merewether Beach)
• Saturday 26 – Sunday 27 March: Wandiyali Indigenous Classic (Merewether Beach)
• Tuesday 29 March – Sunday 3 April: City of Newcastle Pro presented by Burton Automotive (Merewether Beach)
• Tuesday 29 March – Sunday 3 April: AAP Consulting Women’s Pro (Merewether Beach)
• Friday 1 April: Evolution Charity Cup supporting Mark Hughes Foundation

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