On the back of a strong public campaign, Surfest is set to make its mark on the international stage in 2025.

It’s been confirmed Newcastle’s iconic surfing tournament will be upgraded to become one of the top 16 global contests as part of the second tier Challenger Series.

Less than a month ago, City of Newcastle (CN) unanimously backed a Lord Mayoral Minute to advocate for the event’s higher status with the World Surf League (WSL).

Now, following that successful pitch, more than 120 of the best up-and-coming surfers will drop in on Merewether Beach from 1 to 8 June, which is also likely to boast a broadcast audience of millions.

WSL president Andrew Stark admitted the 2025 edition would feature the most prestigious international field the event has hosted since 2020.

“We’re extremely excited to see such a historic competition like Surfest return to the world stage as part of the Challenger Series (CS),” he said.

“The sport’s biggest names have competed at this event for almost four decades.

“So, the continued success of Surfest is a testament to the passion of the local surf community.

“We can’t wait to see the world’s best come back to Newcastle and battle it out for the Mark Richards Trophy.

“We’d like to thank Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and council, as well as the Port of Newcastle, for getting behind this event.

“They’re bringing international professional surfing back to one of its heartlands.”

Cr Nelmes said CN was proud to play its role.

“Council’s been a sponsor of Surfest for almost 40 years and also helped to attract the Rip Curl Newcastle Cup to the city in 2021,” she explained.

“That event showcased Newcastle to a global audience of more than 10 million people and injected an estimated $15 million into our economy, even without the international tourists who couldn’t attend because of the pandemic.

“Since then, surfing has only grown in popularity.

“In 2023, the 16 WSL events attracted more than 120 million television viewers globally and social media engagement surpassed 500 million interactions across various platforms.

“Adding Surfest to the Challenger Series for 2025 will provide substantial economic, cultural and tourism benefits to Newcastle and the wider Hunter.”

Founder Warren Smith expects Surfest will double as round one of the CS.

“The Challenger Series is where surfing dreams are realised and shattered,” he said.

“At the end of the six events, the top 10 male and top five female surfers qualify for the 2026 Championship Tour, so every heat at Merewether Beach will be like a final.

“The series features an incredible mix of young and experienced talent from Australia, North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa.

“It also includes the men’s and women’s Junior World Champions, as well as those from the Championship Tour who don’t make the mid-season cut.

“Some of the big names featured on this year’s CS were Callum Robson, Sally Fitzgibbons and Macy Callaghan, as well as our local contingent of Merewether Surfboard Club members Jackson Baker, Morgan Cibilic and Philippa Anderson.

“I must thank Nuatali Nelmes, CN, the Port of Newcastle and all our event partners for their support.

“I’d also like to thank the WSL, especially president Andrew Stark, for having the confidence in Newcastle to present the Challenger Series event as a part of Surfest 2025.”

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