What is a Surf Carnival?

Surf Carnivals are another name for the surf lifesaving competitions that take place at various beaches over the summer.
Surf Carnivals are a great opportunity for our Junior athletes to test out and develop their surf sport and lifesaving skills in various land and water based events.  They are also a great way to get to know others, and build team spirit and confidence.
Local, regional and national Surf Carnivals are held each year, including some with a focus on fun participation, such as the ‘Auckland All In’ in November or the ‘Ruakaka Juniors Head to Head’ in January. There are also competitive Surf Carnivals. We’ll let you know about upcoming Surf Carnivals, but you can also check out our list here.

Who can particpate at Surf Carnivals?

All of our Junior Sunday Club Day members in our 7 year old group (under 8s) up to Rookies (under 14s) can participate at Surf Carnivals. Some events are only open to selected age groups.

Children must have a Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) number before they can register for any Surf Carnivals.
Check out the link on our Membership Page if you have forgotten your child’s SLSNZ number.
If you don’t have one please Apply NOW as they can take 3 days to get into the club system.
*Your 200m badge – if you are A group you need this to enter in ‘badged’ water events. If you are B or C group you need this to do any water events.
For more info or assistance with this, please send an email to admin@mairangibayslsc.org.nz 

What events do Surf Carnivals have?

Surf Carnivals include a range of different individual and team events. The line-up of events at each Surf Carnival differs slightly, but common Surf Carnival events include:

• Beach Flags. Athletes start lying face down in the sand before racing up the beach to dive for a ‘flag’ (usually a short piece of hose) before another competitor gets it. Like a game of musical chairs, there are fewer flags than athletes, who are slowly eliminated until a winner is found. 
• Running events including Beach Relay (team of 4) and Beach Sprints. These events are just like at a school sports day, except rather than a running track, the event is held on a straight running ‘track’ marked out on the beach.  
• Swimming events include the Run-Wade-Run and Run-Wade-Run Relay (team of 2) for 7-9 year olds/under 8-u10 without a 200m Safety Badge and the Surf Race for 9-13 year olds/u10-u14 with a 200m badge. Athletes run into the water and wade or swim depending on their age around buoys or ‘cans’ in the water before heading back to shore and sprinting to the finish line.  
• Board racing events include the Bodyboard Race and Bodyboard Race Relay (team of 2) for 7-9 year olds/u8-u10 without a 200m badge and the Board Race and Board Relay (team of 3) for 9-13 year olds/u10-u14 with a 200m badge. These races start near the water’s edge and athletes paddle out and around the buoys or ‘cans’ before heading back to shore.  Younger athletes use bodyboards, while the older athletes use foamies or fiberglass boards 
• Multidisciplinary races include the Diamond Race and Cameron Relay. The Diamond Race is a wade/boardboard/wade event for 7-9 year olds/u8-u10 without a 200m badge or a swim/run/swim event for 9-13 year olds/u10-14 with a 200m badge. The Cameron Relay (team of 4) is for 11-13 year olds/u12-u14 with a 200m badge and is a swim/run/board/run event. 
• Board Rescue (team of 2) is another board racing event for 13 year olds/u14/Rookies. In this event, a swimmer swims out to the buoy or ‘can’ and waits for the board paddler to paddle out and pick them up. The pair then return to the beach on the same board. 
• Tube Rescue (team of 2) is for 13 year olds/u14/Rookies. One team member is the patient who swims out and waits to be rescued. The rescuer swims out with fins and a tube, heading around the buoy or can before securing the patient in the tube and returning to the beach for a sprint finish.

How do I register my child and what will it cost?

We use GameDay for Surf Carnival registrations. A link will be sent out when registrations open. You must register before our MBSLSC event registration deadline, which is usually one week before the deadline set by the Surf Carnival because it takes that long to process the registrations.
We’ll let you know about the registration fee for each event as this information is made available. Families also need to arrange their own transport and accommodation if required.

What events should I register my child in at a Surf Carnival?

If your child is new to Surf Carnivals and isn’t sure what to enter, we recommend they give all the events a go. Don’t worry if your child doesn’t have a team, coaches help organise the teams for each event.

What do athletes need to bring to a Surf Carnival?

The club takes bodyboards, foamies and fiberglass boards for the athletes to share.

What to expect at a Surf Carnival?

Before heading off to a Surf Carnival parents and older athletes meet at the club to load the club boards and tents onto the trailer ready to be transported to the event. Surf Carnivals begin early in the morning, with everyone meeting at the beach to help unload the trailer and set up the MBSLSC tents. It’s best to arrive early to find a car park. 
The beach is usually divided into three areas known as Arenas, including one for each of the following Groups:

• Group A (7-9 year olds/u8-u10)
• Group B (10-11 year olds/u11-u12)
• Group C (12-13 year olds/u13-u14) 

Arenas have roped off areas where the athletes compete, a Marshaling Area, an area for spectators and an area up against the sand dunes where clubs set up their tents. Each Arena has Life Guards in the water during the water-based events.
Each group of athletes will be assigned an Arena Manager.  The Arena Manager will have a schedule for the day and a list of all the athletes and the events they are entered in. Schedules are often subject to change depending on the weather and tide conditions. The Arena Manager will take the athletes to the Marshaling Area where they gather just before their event and the Surf Officials run through how the event works and what the rules are.
The athletes compete in events throughout the day, with breaks in between for food and drink. After an action-packed, fun day it’s time to take down the tents, load the trailers and head home again! 

Trailer unloading at the club takes place after the event. 

FIRST POOL EVENT: NR Junior Pool Royale on 6th July 2023
For more info regarding Winter Pool training and competitions please head to the Pool Champs Page

FIRST BEACH EVENT: “NR Junior Auckland All In” on 25th November 2023