GREAT OCEAN ROAD WOMEN’S SURF FESTIVAL CELEBRATES RECORD PARTICIPATION AND INTERNATIONAL FEMALE TALENT AT LORNE

LORNE, VICTORIA – Over 300 competitors and an estimated 3,000 spectators gathered at Lorne beachfront over the weekend for the return of the Great Ocean Road Women’s Surf Festival, celebrating female surfing, community pathways, and elite performance across all levels.

The festival featured a packed competition schedule, morning beach yoga and movement, community initiatives, surf coaching, and vibrant beachfront events, reinforcing Surfing Victoria’s commitment to expanding pathways and participation for women and girls in the sport.

A key highlight of the competition was the Tag Team event, supported by Torquay Dental, which provided a $1,000 cash prize pool divided between the Under 18 and Open division winning teams. In a display of international talent, the Under 18 Tag Team title was taken out by a team of four young female surfers who travelled from Vanuatu to compete.

The event also hosted National female development initiatives. Surfing Australia’s Talent UNLSHD program ran throughout the weekend to strengthen National female surfer talent and enhance female coaching pathways. The program brought together high-performance athletes, including World Tour surfer India Robinson and Challenger Series surfer Ellie Harrison, alongside eight surfers from Surfing Tasmania who flew in to participate with the visiting Vanuatu team.

Beyond the development program, Robinson, Harrison, and World Tour longboarder Bea Conroy delivered an inspiring talk and Q&A session to a large turnout of aspiring surfers and fans.

Reflecting on the remarkable growth and atmosphere of the event, Surfing Victoria’s Talent UNLSHD Lead, Ange King, said:

“It was fantastic to bring our Victorian and Tasmanian female surfers together for such a valuable experience. India and Ellie sharing their knowledge, experiences, and insights with the girls was incredibly inspiring. The energy from the Tag Team was infectious, and seeing how much this festival has grown over the past three years highlights just how strong the community for women’s surfing is right now.”

Grassroots participation took centre stage with more than 30 students from Worawa Aboriginal Girls College joining dedicated surf lessons on the beach, introducing new participants to the ocean in a supportive environment.

Beyond the competitive action in the water, festival attendees engaged with a broad lineup of beachside activations, including surfboard demonstrations, a successful artisanal market, the Salty Seconds thrift market, educational & arts workshops, and athlete Q&A panels.

The festival proved to be the largest and most successful event yet, capping off a massive weekend with strong community engagement and widespread enthusiasm looking ahead to next year.

The 2026 Great Ocean Road Women’s Surf Festival was proudly supported by Torquay Dental, Honu Honi Surf Camps, Great Ocean Road Holidays, Surfcoast Women’s Boardriders, Southcoast Surfboards, Surf Coast Events, Surf Her Way, Ocean Grind Coffee, and H.A.H Lorne.