The secret behind Warilla-Barrack Point's NSW Country Championships success

The hosts showed no signs of stage fright at Warilla Beach, taking a lead on the opening day before putting one hand on the trophy with a dominant display on Saturday.

Warilla-Barrack Point then finished the job on day three, ending with a final tally of 1396 points to hold off a charge from runners-up Cudgen-Headland (1244). The result comes almost 12 months to the date after the Illawarra club broke through to win the championships.

While that 2023 win was special, nothing will beat the feeling of securing a country title on your home soil.

So what was the key to Warilla-Barrack Point's success?

Club president Alan Beveridge says it comes down to a lot of hard work by plenty of members behind-the-scenes, while they also boast a strong nursery of junior talent.

"The athletes did really well, they were under pressure because you want to do well on your home turf. And the back end of the surf club - the work parties, the barbecue, people doing the cleaning - they did a tremendous job," Beveridge told the Mercury.

"It all comes down to good coaching and the auxiliary staff, including those involved in water safety and training. We train three times a week and some days you might see 40 odd senior guys out there on boards and skis, which makes you feel good. And our juniors train just as hard as the seniors.

"In total, we have a fraction over 200 juniors, and a lot were competing over the weekend. And I think the majority of our guys came away with a medal or points for the club."

Warilla-Barrack Point SLSC members will now turn their attention towards the 2024 South Coast Branch Carnival at Mollymook this weekend.

"We've got the seniors competing on the Saturday and then the juniors on Sunday," Beveridge said.

"Two weeks after that, we have the age state championships, and then a week after that there's the opens championships. So there's a real buzz around the club."