With the mercury starting to rise and the days starting to lengthen, the junior surfing season is ramping up.
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Next week will see some of Australia’s best young surfers, including Corrimal sisters Zahlia and Shyla Short, descend on Sydney’s northern beaches for the annual BL’s Blast Off, the largest youth surfing development event in Australia.
The duo rank among some of NSW’s brightest young talent, with Shyla finishing second and Zahlia third in their age groups at July’s state championships.
“”The Blast Off was one of the first competitions I ever did and it’s what made me fall in love with competing in the sport,” Zahlia said.
“I was in the under eights and the surf was massive for me that comp and I loved every minute of it.”
With so many of Australia’s best surfers to feature, BL’s Blast Off acts as an important tuneup for Zahlia ahead of December’s national titles.
This year’s nationals will be Zahlia’s first, with the 12-year-old competing in the 14 and under division. At 11, Shyla is too young to compete at nationals.
For Zahlia, the opportunity to compete at the national titles will mark the completion of one of her many goals.
“It’s been a personal goal of mine to make the Aussie titles since finding the love of competition from my first competition ever at the Blast Off. Fourteen and under is the first age division to qualify for Aussies, so hopefully next year Shyla and I can qualify together.”
The sisters have formed an incredible bond through their love of surfing, with the pair hitting the waves together every day. Zahlia counts herself extremely lucky to have such a close surfing partner.
“Everything’s better when you have a partner in crime and she’s it. Sometimes we have to surf against each other and depending on the conditions, you never know who’s going to win.
“I would say I’m more competitive by nature, but Shyla is more competitive when she is against me. It’s funny cause I’m always trying to help her in heats when she’s against me and she’s just concentrating on trying to beat me.”