The inaugural International Beach Festival hit the shores of Cronulla in November 2016. One of the biggest drawcards of the four day festival was the QS6000 Sydney International Womens Pro event.
A world-class surf festival highlighting women in surf
The new, women’s only, World Surf Leaugue QS6000 event (the most prominent level on the qualifying series) featured an international field of 96 professional women.
Brazilian Pro Surfer Silvana Lima surfed her way to glory at the 2016 Sydney International Womens Pro. She took away $10,000 and 6,000 points towards the yearly total which determines her world ranking.
The host: Sally Fitzgibbons
The 2016 festival was hosted by Australian surf star Sally Fitzgibbons, a Cronulla Sharks Boardriders club member.
Excited about bringing the event to Cronulla, she told Surfing NSW:
“This is a great opportunity for women’s surfing, we will have some of the best female surfers in the world here along with local boardriders, a girls junior comp and a Pro Assist for groms, it’s only fitting that we bring them together in a nostalgic setting like Cronulla Beach. It’s a fantastic chance for Sydney to get behind women’s surfing and be part of an amazing beach culture festival where we have something for the whole family.”
International Beach Festival: more than just a surfing event
The event included a host of competitive events in addition to the Women’s Pro event, including:
- Ironwoman Invitational
- International Boardriders Challenge
- Sydney International U16 Junior Women’s Challenge
- The Shire Mile Street Run
- Sydney Shire Ocean Swim
However, the festival was more than just a sports and surf carnival. It was a celebration of the best of Sydney’s beachside lifestyle.
The “Festival Village”, located in Dunningham Park, was alive with yoga sessions, market stalls and food stalls. To finish of an action-packed day, visitors enjoyed a bar and live music or the latest flicks at the outdoor Cinema by the Sea.