Sydney, Australia – Day 4 of the VW State Classic 2026 crowned more NSW State Champions, sent the Under 12s into serious surf, and kept the longboard draw moving at Arrawarra in gusty but contestable conditions. Another full day across the venues.
STATE MASTERS | Sawtell
Day 4 moved to Sawtell Beach and delivered powerful, demanding surf that separated the committed from the cautious. Three NSW State titles were decided and each final told its own story.
Paul Parkes had been the standout performer through the earlier rounds of the Over 50 Men and looked the likely winner heading into the final. Paul Snow had other ideas. Snow surfed with exceptional grit throughout and took the State title ahead of Parkes, Dan Dignam and Peter Armstrong. One of the results of the event.
The Over 40 Men’s final belonged to Chad Schomberg. The Sawtell local and Boardriders Club President surfed in front of a hometown crowd who knew exactly who they were watching. Local knowledge counted for plenty in the demanding conditions and Schomberg made the most of every bit of it, finishing ahead of Vincent Primal, Peter Hayes and Karl Lavis.
Audrey Hills produced the standout performance of the Over 40 Women’s final. Composed and confident in difficult surf, Hills took the State title ahead of Gee Cormack, Samantha Oakes and Belinda Koorey.
Day 5 is tomorrow. Open Men, Open Women, Under 21 and Over 30 Men’s divisions are all on the schedule. The back end of the draw is here.
Masters Results
Over 50 Men
- Paul Snow
- Paul Parkes
- Dan Dignam
- Peter Armstrong
Over 40 Men
- Chad Schomberg
- Vincent Primal
- Peter Hayes
- Karl Lavis
Over 40 Women
- Audrey Hills
- Gee Cormack
- Samantha Oakes
- Belinda Koorey
LONGBOARDS | Arrawarra
Day 2 of the Longboards at Arrawarra ran through 3 to 5 foot surf with offshore winds all day. The wind gusted to 30 knots at times before backing off to 10, which kept competitors and officials on their toes throughout. The surf stayed contestable and the draw moved well.
Jason Livingston continued where he left off yesterday. The Over 55 Men’s Semi 1 went his way with a heat total of 14.0, with Alan Morrison second on 10.00, Simon Cox third on 9.24 and Dave Turner fourth on 6.66. In the Over 50 Men’s Semi 1, Livingstone was dominant again, posting a 16.0 heat total to lead Daniel Miles, Mathew Anderson and Nat Johnston. Two semis, two wins. Livingston is making a strong case for multiple titles this week.
The Over 70 Men’s Final ran twice to get the result. John Murray took the win, with Danny Bond finishing second on a countback over Graham Bohm in third. Earle Page finished fourth and Neil Fredericksen fifth. Hard-fought from start to finish.
Longboard Results
Over 70 Men Final
- John Murray
- Danny Bond
- Graham Bohm
- Earle Page
- Neil Frederiksen
JUNIOR STATE TITLES | Park Beach
Strong south winds were always going to make today interesting. With a schedule stacked full of girls divisions, contest director and head judge made a call that turned out to be one of the decisions of the event: prioritise the Under 12 Boys and Girls and get them in the water.
The Under 12 Boys dropped big scores and held their own in 2 to 5 foot rippable conditions. But the story of the day was the Under 12 Girls. Tricky surf, shifting rips and serious size for their age group. They handled it. Every single one of them. The kind of performance that tells you the Team NSW pipeline is in good shape heading toward Margaret River.
Congratulations to all surfers who competed today. The adaptability shown across the younger divisions was the highlight of the event so far.
Full event details, daily galleries, and updates via the VW State Classic 2026 microsite.
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Beyond the Waves
The competition takes the centre, but the six-day event sits inside a wider program of activations across the Coffs Coast.
- Coopers Surf, Australia’s largest in-stock surfboard range, has every competitor covered with a $20 voucher in their pack and 20 percent off accessories with any board purchase. The team will run a shaper demo day across the week and host a movie night at Aanuka Beach House.
- Surfline returns as the event’s forecast partner, delivering daily reports and a 30 percent member discount on Premium and Premium+. URBN Surf is putting unlimited surfing day passes up for grabs at competition sites.
- Surfing NSW’s own programs are on-site all week.
The central event hub will once again be Aanuka Beach House, with the post-beach schedule coming to life across its fire pits and outdoor spaces to relax, dine and connect. Competitors can redeem 20% off food and beverage at the Aanuka Beach House Restaurant by presenting their event wristband at the counter.
“We’re excited to welcome the VW State Classic back for another year. Events like this create a great atmosphere across the Coffs region when competitors and their families are in town. We love hosting everyone at Aanuka Beach House for the activations and encourage the community to come down and get amongst it throughout the week,”
Keron McDermott, General Manager, Aanuka Beach House
The Coffs Coast Welcome
The 2026 event renews its partnership with Coffs Council and Coffs Coast Events, with three competition sites activated across the region for five surfing disciplines. City of Coffs Harbour Mayor Nikki Williams welcomed the event’s return.
“As a destination of choice, Coffs Harbour is always up for massive events and it doesn’t get any better than the Surfing NSW State Classic, Mayor Nikki Williams said. It’s a spectacular showpiece that stokes surfing culture and best of all, it embraces the grassroots community aspect of the sport.
Local competitors and fans will be wrapped to see athletes ranging in age from groms to seasoned veterans tackle the waves in a City renowned for its beach culture and warm welcome.”
VW State Classic 2026
Six days. Five titles. Year two. 18.05.2026.
- What: VW State Classic 2026
- When: Monday 18 to Sunday 24 May 2026
- Where: Coffs Coast, NSW
- On the line: Five NSW State Titles (Junior, Masters, Longboard, SUP, High School) and progressions to the 2026 Australian Titles
- Host venue: Aanuka Beach House
- Major partner: Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
- Supporting partners: Coffs Council, Coffs Events, Coopers Surf, Aanuka Beach House, Surfline, URBN Surf, Liveheats
- Surfing NSW programs on-site: LAB, Her Wave, Surfers Rescue