Teen Star Leads Trifecta Triumph With Ironman Racing Primed For Olympics Debut In ’32
A Gold Coast teenager touted as the way forward for Australian ironman racing, has led residence an historic membership trifecta because the 2026 Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships got here to an exhilarating climax at North Kirra on the Gold Coast on the weekend.
Nineteen-year-old Ethan Callaghan and his Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park teammates Sean Reilly and Joel Piper etched their names into the annals of Australian ironman racing, first contested 60 years in the past on close by Coolangatta Seaside in 1966.
It’s the primary time that three members of 1 membership have taken residence the trifecta on this blue ribband occasion of Surf Life Saving – one that’s primed for an Olympic debut on the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
On the eve of the Championships two of Australian ironman racing’s favorite sons – the Eckstein brothers, eight-time Nationwide champion Shannon and five-time Coolangatta Gold winner Caine gave their blessing for ironman racing to debut in ‘32.
TRI TIME: Triumphant Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park trio Sean Reilly, Ethan Callaghan and Joel Piper. Photograph Courtesy: John Veage (SLS-Australia).
“It might be the right alternative for lifesaving to affix browsing as an Olympic sport,” Shannon instructed a choose viewers at a pre-Championships luncheon at North Kirra Surf Membership within the countdown to the IOC’s choice on what new sport’s might be added to the Brisbane program.
“If it doesn’t occur right here it should in all probability by no means occur….it could be nice for the game and nice to get it completed.”
Youthful brother Caine saying: “It’s a reasonably particular factor to be on the Olympics….children rising upon on the Gold Coast now would get the prospect to do it.”
And the Burleigh Heads boys definitely led an ideal showcase for ironman racing – the top of an iconic Australian pastime on a picture-perfect finale to 9 days of racing.
O’Callaghan, the youngest ironman within the last gained the blue-ribbon title at his first crack, powering residence within the swim leg after exhibiting his board and ski prowess.
It was a dominant show forward of former Warnambool (VIC) product Reilly and ex-Northern Seashores product Piper, the previous Beneath 17 star from Newport.
It was a particular second too for out-going champion and all-time nice Ali Day who farewelled the game for the final time within the last at 35-years of age.
Callaghan was additionally the winner of the celebrated Dean Mercer Memorial Protect, after the teen introduced himself as a significant participant on the Ironman stage in 2026 including the crown to his two Nationwide Collection podiums this season.
Callaghan’s first transfer after the race was to shake Day’s hand and apologise to him for taking the fairytale away from legend and paid tribute to his idol.
HUGS ALL ROUND: Ethan Callaghan, Sean Reilly and Jol Piper. Photograph Courtesy John Veage (Harvpix).
“This implies so much. That was clearly a stacked discipline and I’m so grateful of Ali [Day] and every thing he has completed for me, so it’s a bit bitter-sweet beating him however I’m very grateful for him and every thing he has completed for me and completed for the game,” stated Callaghan.
“It’s such an honour to exit with him this weekend in his final race. I simply need Ali to know he has all the time been my idol and I’m so grateful for every thing he has completed.”
Callaghan was offered the Dean Mercer Memorial Protect, by the late Mercer’s spouse Reen Corbett, herself an Ironwoman legend of the game – the Protect devoted to the previous two-time Australian Ironman champion who died all of the sudden in 2017.
“Nobody has ever obtained the Dean Mercer trophy after which gained the race so I went on the market for Dean…..it makes it tremendous particular,” stated an elated Callaghan.
“I used to be cheering for Sean and Joel to get throughout the road… standing all of us on the rostrum is so superb.”
The Ironwoman additionally noticed a brand new Australian Champion topped, with Maroochydore’s Tiarnee Massie main from the outset and fishing forward of Lily O’Sullivan (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park) and Gemma Smith-Welch (Northcliffe).
The win caps off a breakout season for Massie who additionally gained her maiden Shaw and Companions Iron Collection crown.
“I used to be simply standing on the road quarter-hour in the past with a possibility to go after a childhood dream and quarter-hour later I’ve achieved it,” stated Massie.
OMG MOIMENT for Tiarnee Massie the2026 Australian Iroinwoman champion. Photograph Courtesy John Veage (Harvpix).
“Truthfully, I gained the Iron Collection a couple of month in the past and I by no means actually thought something may get higher than that.”
A wave of supporters lined the shoreline to cheer on Massie, together with her brother-in-law, Olympic silver medallist Jackson Collins, who simply moments earlier gained his fourth Open Ski title.
“I wished to win this… I gave every thing to attain that and so the folks that have supported me alongside the way in which and helped me obtain that dream and that we did it collectively. I’m simply so so proud,” stated Massie.
“It means every thing to have them right here, I’d not be the individual or athlete I’m at the moment with out my household, they’re my rock, my spine to every thing I’m and each fall they carry me again up.
“It’s a fairytale finish of the season. Initially of the season, I set enormous objectives for myself and actually I had that massive setback within the [Coolangatta] Gold with my paddle snapping in the beginning of the race… from there, I stated to myself I can’t lose something by dreaming huge and going completely after it.”
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Northcliffe Taplin winners (L-R) Naomi Scott, Claudia Kelly, Hannah Scully. Photograph Courtesy: John Veage (SLS-Australia)..
NORTHCLIFFE EDGES WANDA AND BURLEIGH IN POINTSCORE
Gold Coast membership Northcliffe has as soon as once more taken residence Aussies Membership pointscore, capping off their stellar marketing campaign with the double win within the prestigious Taplin Relays, successful the celebrated Open Males’s and Girls’s finals.
The lads’s group led by the Morris brothers, Zach, Mitch and Jake alongside group captain Matt Bevilacqua, Olympic kayaker Riley Fitzsimmons and newly topped Australian surf race champion Bailey Armstrong had been too sturdy in the long run to take the coveted title from Newport and Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park.
With the Northcliffe girls’s group of ironwoman Naomi Scott, Kiwi ski paddler Claudia Kelly and board-paddling star Hannah Scully scuppered the sphere to additionally beat Newport and Burleigh.
Whereas the Combined Taplin noticed Alexandra Headlands come from behind to beat Northcliffe and Newport, because of a mammoth last swim leg from Olympian Lani Pallister.
In the long run Northcliffe saved their general dominance intact with 275 factors from the massive movers, Sydney membership Wanda transferring up from fourth in 2025 to share pointscore honours with Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park (each on 223).
SKI PATROL: Jemma Smith the most effective of the most effective. Photograph Courtesy John Veage (SLS-Australia).
NEWPORT’S GOLDEN JEM
In the meantime Newport’s Jemma Smith was topped Competitor of the Carnival, having gained two particular person gold medals within the Open Champion Lifesaver and Open Surf Ski, in addition to serving to her Membership take residence gold within the Open Ski Relay and Board relay.
Within the Open Ski last, Smith took the gold medal forward of Avoca Seaside paddling Olympian Ella Beere and kayaking teammate Natalia Drobot.
“It actually means so much. I’ve missed the 2 earlier Australian ski finals and so I used to be simply actually blissful to be again in there,” stated Smith.
“To have the prospect to place a great race ahead and to execute it like that at the moment, I couldn’t have requested for way more at the moment.
“I used to be giving it every thing I’ve to tug on that little runner, which is de facto tough, and I knew that if I didn’t get down it, there was a great probability that the remainder of the sphere was going to be coming proper behind me.
“The depth of the girl’s ski discipline is so sturdy in the mean time so I actually needed to take advantage of what mom nature threw my manner.”
OLYMPIANS STEAL THE SKI SHOW
In what mimicked an Olympic last, the Open Male Ski noticed Paris Olympic silver medallist Jackson Collins (Kurrawa) declare his fourth Australia title in a photograph end forward of Newport’s ageless paddle grasp Mitchell Trim and fellow Paris Olympics K4 teammate Fitzsimmons (Northcliffe).
“It was so shut and so onerous. I knew being in that first alley that I used to be going to be combating the wind a bit to the primary can, so I wished to spend all my vitality early to verify I didn’t put myself out of the race too early,” stated Jackson.
“I simply obtained just a little bump and simply needed to strive work it by the gutter after which a few boys picked one up. I used to be simply making an attempt to remain in entrance of that bump that they had been on.
“For ski paddlers, Aussies is the top occasion. To line up in a last like that with folks that have gained Olympic medals, it’s such a troublesome race to win.”
ALL ABOARD: Wanda boy Dane Sutton Photograph Courtesy John Veage (SLS-Australia).
DANE’S A TRUE BLUE WANDA-BOY
Wanda’s Dane Sutton took residence the Male Competitor of the Carnival, after successful gold within the U19 Ironman and U19 Male Surf Race in addition to spearheading Wanda’s sturdy group efforts that noticed them end equal second place.
Within the U19 Males’s Surf Race, Sutton delivered a powerful end to win gold forward of Byron Oliphant (Alexandra Headland) and Josiah Brief (Maroochydore).
“It was powerful. I knew there have been going to be some waves coming by, so I labored onerous from the primary string [of swim cans] to the second string and obtained to the entrance and obtained just a little waves and went from there.
“I feel for a swim race it should take some time to sink in as I wasn’t anticipating it… however I’m simply so proud.”
LILY O JUST SUPER ON SUNDAY
Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park’s Lily O’Sullivan had one of many strongest Tremendous Sunday finishes of any athlete, taking gold within the Open Girls’s Surf Race and Board race in addition to silver within the Ironwoman.
“I’m so stoked to again that one up, it was an extended swim on the market. The waves at Kirra are all the time fairly tough. There are all the time folks coming from behind and I simply saved my head down and went the entire manner,” O’Sullivan stated
“I watched the races earlier than and noticed the boys had been getting swept throughout that string of 9.
“It’s anybody’s race. I’m simply grateful it was me at the moment.”
VICTORIOUS VIKINGS: Currumbin’s victorious males’s open surf groups (L-R) Gus Shivnan, Riley Brennan, Callum “CJ” Brennan, Charlie Walker. Photograph John Veage (SLSA-Australia).
VIKINGS BROTHERS IN ARMS
Currumbin Seaside Vikings’ brothers “CJ” Callum and Riley Brennan created their very own slice of Aussies historical past too, successful gold and silver within the esteemed Open Male Belt in a weekend to recollect for the household.
The boys had already mixed with Charlie Walker and Kiwi gun, Gus Shivnan to interrupt a 16-year Northcliffe domination within the open surf groups (32 factors) to win the membership’s first open groups title from Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park (43) and Northcliffe (47) with Callum backing as much as edge out brother Riley to take bronze within the open surf race behind Bailey Armstrong (Northcliffe).
Not be outdone, their little brother Jackson Brennan chimed in for his personal slice of glory within the gold medal successful Currumbin group for the Rescue Tube Rescue.
“It was fairly particular, I don’t suppose there’s brothers which have gone one-two within the belt race so we made historical past,” stated Callum.
“(And within the surf race)…there wasn’t an excessive amount of help coming in…so I needed to work all the way in which to the top…with 30 one thing blokes within the last and so to go three-four is fairly particular.”
Surf Life Saving Australia at the moment introduced the 2027 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships might be held Maroochydore, Alexandra Headland and Mooloolaba from 10-18 April 2027.
OPEN RESULTS
2026 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, North Kirra,
MALE
Ironman
Ethan Callaghan (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
Sean Reilly (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
Joel Piper (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
Taplin (Ironman) Relay
Northcliffe
Newport
Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park
Curlewis Open 6 Individual R and R
Wanda, NSW
Coogee, NSW
Freshwater, NSW
5 Individual R and R
Coogee, NSW
Seacliff, NSW
Freshwater, NSW)
Surf Race
Bailey Armstrong (Northcliffe)
Henry Simpson (Alexandra Headland)
Callum Brennan (Currumbin)
2km Open Water
Bailey Armstrong (Northcliffe)
Thomas Raymond (Maroochydore)
Dougal Richmond (Mermaid)
Belt race
Callum Brennan (Currumbin)
Riley Brennan (Currumbin)
Sam Harris (Maroochydore)
Surf groups
Currumbin
Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park
Northcliffe
Rescue Tube Rescue
Currumbin
Seacliff, SA
Cronulla, NSW
Board
Ethan Callaghan (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
Charlie Morris (Wanda, NSW)
Angus MacPhail (Manly, NSW)
Board Relay
Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park, D (Taj Andrews, Benjamin Highfields, Nathan Jay)
Northcliffe, A (Mitch Morris, Matt Bevilacqua, Zach Morris)
Northcliffe, B (Wes Gould, Cory Taylor, Joe Collins)
Board Rescue
Blake Prepare dinner/Dan Collins (Redhead, NSW)
Angus MacPhail/Hayden Cotter (Manly, NSW)
Noah Steiner/Bailey Krstevski (Wanda, NSW)
Seaside Dash
Asher Ward (Northcliffe)
Matthew Lloyd (North Cottesloe, WA)
Jackson Symonds (Sorrento, WA)
Seaside Flags
Sam Zustovich (Mollymook, NSW)
Jett Milford-Ferguson (Surfers Paradise)
Jason Gough (Alexandra Headlands)
2km Seaside Run
Samuel McAuliffe (Kurrawa)
Kyle Mason (Wanda, NSW)
Nathan Breen (Cronulla, NSW)
Seaside Relay
Northcliffe
Cronulla, NSW
Noosa Heads
Single Ski
Jackson Collins (Kurrawa)
Mitchell Trim (Newport, NSW)
Riley Fitzsimmons (Northcliffe)
Double Ski
Jackson Collins/Kalani Gilbertson (Kurrawa)
Riley Fitzsimmons/Joe Collins (Northcliffe)
Harrison Taurins/Mitchell Trim (Newport, NSW)
Ski Relay
Northcliffe A (Riley Fitzsimmons, Tom Inexperienced, Jake Morris)
Northcliffe B (Mitch Morris, Joe Collins, Zach Morris)
Newport (Ziko Vesely/Bailey Clues, Jackson Borg)
Open Boat
Wanda Weapons, NSW
Avalon Seaside Pinkies, NSW
Elouera Wilko, NSW
Reserve Boat
Freshwater Pigs, NSW
Northcliffe Hurricanes
Fremantle Burritos, WA
Open Longboard Driving
Finn Wilkie (Coogee, NSW)
Anthony Carroll (Bondi, NSW)
Jack Lewis (Noosa)
Open Brief Board
Fred Carmody (North Bondi, NSW)
Finn Wilkie (Coogee, NSW)
Georgie Messiter (Coogee, NSW)
FEMALE
Ironwoman
Tiarnee Massie (Maroochydore)
Lily O’Sullivan (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
Gemma Smith-Welch (Northcliffe).
Champion Lifesaver
Jemma Smith (Newport, NSW)
Phoebe Savage (Newport, NSW)
Grace Younger (Metropolis of Perth, WA)
5 Individual R and R
Coogee, NSW
Anglesea, VIC
North Cronulla, NSW
Taplin (Ironman) Relay
Northcliffe
Newport
Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park
Surf race
Lily O’Sullivan (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
Naomi Scott (Northcliffe)
Gemma Smith-Welch (Northcliffe)
2km Open Water
Mia Feltham (Southport)
Katelyne Irwin (Kurrawa)
Sara Tazaki (Northcliffe)
Belt Race
Cyra Bender (Northcliffe)
Zoe Crawford (Northcliffe)
Chelsea Jones (Currumbin)
Surf groups
Northcliffe A
Northcliffe B
Kurrawa
Rescue Tube Rescue
Northcliffe A
Northcliffe B
Kurrawa
Board
Lily O’Sullivan (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
Brodee Trinca (Southport)
Emily Gauld (Northcliffe)
Board Relay
Newport (Lizzie Welborn, Analise Kibble, Jemma Smith
Northcliffe (Hannah Scully, Lana Rogers, Naomi Scott)
Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park (Lily O’Sullivan, Chelsa Wooden, Carla Papac)
Board Rescue
Lana Rogers/Emily Gauld (Northcliffe)
Lizzie Welborn/Sarah Locke (Newport, NSW)
Naomi Scott/Olivia Corrin (Northcliffe)
Seaside Dash
Briana Irving (Waikanae, NZ)/Tahlia Sunderland (Currumbin)
Imogen Herrington (Metropolis of Perth, WA)
Payton Williams (Mollymook, NSW)
Seaside Flags
Elizabeth Forsyth (Currumbin)/Annah Abravanel (Biarritz Sauvetage Cotier (FRA)
Patyon Williams (Mollymook, NSW)
Lainey Shockro (Surfers Paradise)
2km Seaside Run
Kate McHardy (Northcliffe)
Georgia Stroud (Sunshine Seaside)
Rique Miroshnik (North Bondi, NSW)
Seaside Relay
Metropolis of Perth (WA)
Noosa
Northcliffe
Single Ski
Jemma Smith (Newport, NSW)
Ella Beere (Avoca, NSW)
Natalie Drobot (Avoca, NSW)
Double Ski
Jasmine Rayward/Dakota Luke (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
Jemma Smith/Olivia Clues (Newport, NSW)
Ella Beere/Natalie Drobot (Avoca, NSW)
Ski Relay
Newport, NSW (Jemma Smith, Olivia Clues, Piper Harrison)
Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park (Carla Papac/ Jasmine Rayward/Dakota Luke)
Northcliffe (Claudia Kelly/Julia Padrutt/Emily Doyle)
Open Boat
Collaroy Giants, NSW
Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park Broadbacks
Port Kembla Parasites, NSW
Reserve Boat
Freshwater Freaks, NSW
Northcliffe Hurricanes
Fremantle Burritos, WA
Open Longboard Driving
Kirra Molnar (Noosa)
Rori Reyntjes (Torquay, VIC)
Caitlin Brouckaert (Noosa Heads)
MIXED
Open Champion Patrol
Newport, NSW
Currumbin
Northcliffe
5 Individual R and R
Coogee, NSW
Wanda, NSW
NSW
Taplin (Ironman) Relay
Alexandra Headland
Northcliffe
Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park
Double Ski
Piper Harrison/ Harrison Taurins (Newport, NSW)
Jett Kenny/Emma Woods (Alexandra Headland)
Jake Morris/Julia Padrutt (Northcliffe)
Seaside Relay
Sorrento (WA)
Metropolis of Perth (WA)
Northcliffe
March Previous
Collaroy Girls, NSW
Collaroy Bears, NSW
Sorrento, WA
Boat Relay
Palm Seaside, NSW
North Cottesloe, WA
Avoca Seaside, NSW
*QLD except in any other case said
OVERALL POINTSCORE (TOP 20 CLUBS):
Northcliffe, QLD 275pts
Wanda, NSW 223
Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park, QLD 223
Newport, NSW 174
Alexandra Headland, QLD 159
Maroochydore, QLD 156
Currumbin, QLD 128
South Maroubra, NSW 94
Noosa Heads, QLD 89
Kurrawa, QLD 74
Manly, NSW 70
Mermaid Seaside, QLD 69
Coogee, NSW 68
Swansea Belmont, NSW 67
Trigg Island, WA 64
North Cottesloe, WA 62
Sorrento, WA 60
North Burleigh, QLD 59
Grange, SA 46
Avoca Seaside, NSW 44
PARTING PIC…NORTHCLIFFE’S TRIUMPHANT TAPLIN RELAY TEAM
NORTHCLIFFE’S TRIUMPHANT TAPLIN RELAY WINNERS, (L-R) Mitch Morris, Bailey Armstrong, Riley Fitzsimmons, Zach Morris, Jake Morris and Matt Bevilacqua. Photograph Courtesy John Veage (SLS-Australia).
