2026 Nippers Fest
Lifesaving Sport
The year started in Victoria as a sea of Nippers!
Over 350 Nippers joined the Bass Coast Nippers Carnival, with competitors from Cape Paterson, Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club and Venus Bay Surf Life Saving Club.
Venus Bay joined for the first time, with more than 70 nippers travelling to join the day!
The Carnival was followed by one of the biggest gathering of Nippers competitors are the 2026 Victorian Nippers Fest. A whopping 960 Nippers descending on Torquay and were even joined
by a few South Australian and Queensland Nippers keen to compete and join the festivities.
A huge thank you to all volunteers, officials, water safety officers and families, and our sponsor Engine Swim.
You can be sure this event made core memories for hundreds of budding future lifesavers and sport stars.
This year, our clubs have had a bumper season with 14,383 kids registered in Nippers across 57 Life Saving Clubs.
It’s not only fun, family‑centred and inclusive; it’s also vital in growing the next generation of volunteer lifesavers who keep our communities safe.
Participation has continued to increase year‑on‑year since the pandemic, reflecting strong community demand for practical water safety education and healthy, active lifestyles.
For families, Nippers builds lifelong friendships and a sense of belonging. For clubs and the broader community, it sustains vital volunteer capacity and cultivates future leaders on and off the beach.
