Oceans ’26: Junior surf lifesaving event brings four-day festival to Pāpāmoa

The Oceans Junior Surf Lifesaving competition, previously hosted at Mount Main Beach, will be hosted at Pāpāmoa Beach this week. Photo / The Bay of Plenty Times Photograph by Andrew Warner.

For the first time in its 25-year history, the Oceans ’26: Festival of Junior Surf Lifesaving will be hosted at Pāpāmoa Beach.

More than 750 young surf participants are set to bring colour, noise and energy to the Bay of Plenty when the festival takes place from Thursday, February 19, to Sunday, February 22.

Over the four days, competitors will take on a wide mix of surf lifesaving disciplines, including swimming, board paddling, beach sprints, flags, team relays and surf races.

“Junior surf is one of the best ways we build capable, confident lifesavers,” said Zac Franich, sport general manager of Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) in a media release.

“Oceans brings young people together in a positive environment where they learn to back themselves and work as a team. Those are the same qualities that make great lifeguards in the future.”

Franich said Oceans was designed as a fun and family-friendly festival, and spectators were encouraged to come down and be part of the atmosphere.

This year, the event will be hosted by Pāpāmoa Surf Life Saving Club, shifting from Mount Maunganui for the second time in 25 years, after the tragic landslide at Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park.

The decision to relocate the event was made by SLSNZ in conjunction with Tauranga City Council, Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service, and Pāpāmoa Surf Life Saving Club.

Pāpāmoa SLSC chairman Mathew Bowling said the club was excited to be hosting Oceans ’26.

“We acknowledge the impact of recent events down at the Mount, and we’ll be working closely with Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service to make it a real success. Both clubs understand the importance of this event as a celebration of surf lifesaving, so Pāpāmoa are happy to be able to support it this year and continue the tradition.”

Oceans also reflects the strength of surf lifesaving’s volunteer culture. From officials and coaches to water safety teams, managers and club whānau, the event is made possible by people who give their time to create a safe, supportive and unforgettable experience for every young athlete.

Across four days, Oceans brings a vibrant, festival energy with clubs travelling in from around the country and families spending time on the beach, in local cafes and shops, and around the wider Tauranga-Moana community. It’s a celebration of youth sport development, beach safety, and a chance to see surf lifesaving at its best.

“Oceans is our showcase of junior lifesaving sport, and the wider surf lifesaving community behind it,” Franich said.

“It’s about community spirit and is made possible by a massive group of volunteers.

“To every junior athlete pulling on club colours and heading to the Bay of Plenty, good luck. Oceans is a chance to challenge yourself, back your mates, and enjoy the buzz that comes from being part of something bigger than a single race.”