Open State Championships

Before diving into the 3 days of competition we just want to thank all the officials, IRB crews, water safety, coaches and patients who covered roles to fulfill our quota components across the 3 weeks for the Lifesaving, Age, Masters, Open and Boat championship carnivals. Without your efforts our competitors wouldn’t be able to shine for the Two Blues.​

After 11 days of competition and more than 250 athletes from Coogee pulled on the Two Blues, some for the first time at a State Champs, the 2026 SLSNSW State Championships are complete. In total, Coogee accumulated 421 points across all carnivals that included a total of 64 medals…21 being gold.
 
For our Open competitors, last week, across the beach, water, R&R and boats were able to finally hit the beach up at Swansea Belmont between Friday 27th February to Sunday 1st March. We had just over 70 athletes, including 8 boat crews, pulled on the Two Blues across the 3 days that saw Coogee come 12th overall on 113 points (just 4 points from a Top 10 finish) with 14 medals including 6 gold.
 
This year saw us field a large team in the water and boat areas but all the team across all disciplines represented Coogee with the skill, tenacity and professionalism that we is the normal for the Two Blues.
 
Just a couple of special call outs across the carnival:

• Our first time competitors in the Open champs in our U15 in both the water and beach with
  • Roman Szabo making the final for all his individual events (Ironman, Board and Surf Race) – where he was joined by Ashton Habler in the Surf Race final
  • The whole beach team that won gold in 3 of the 7 events available, plus 1 silver, including individual gold in the U15 female beach sprint to win a total of 30 points for the club. Some of this team then stepped up to race in the U17 relays.
• Ava Szabo, our Board and Ski Captain, making the Open Female Surf Race final
• Drew Hayes winning and coaching for multiple medals on his birthday on the Saturday in the R&R area
• Our youngest female boat crew, Commandos, dealing with their events constantly being pushed back due to safety concerns to be our on boat crew to make through to a final on the Sunday and take out a Silver in their first State Champs.

With this event being one of the key focus points for a season all our competitors can’t take the foot of the pedal as some, in our U13 to U15 athletes, are only just over 2 weeks away from the Aussie Titles at Kirra Beach and in between our Boaties head up to Ocean Beach to contest the Metropolitan Championships. That weekend will also see the DMGs, Sons and Havachats represent Sydney Branch at the InterBranch Champs.

So congratulations to all our teams, thank you to all for their efforts and for those still with carnivals left we are behind you for these last couple of weeks.

#gothetwoblues