SURFING & WATER SPORTS
Announcement 070525 Phoebe Kane is the new Youth Ambassador for WSCC 2026
WORDS: Andrew McKinnon PHOTOGRAPHY Adrian Bort
Australia’s highest ranking female surf judge Phoebe Kane has been named Youth Ambassador for World Surfing Conservation Conference 2026.
Photo by Adam Parsell
At the last meeting for the wscc2026.com.au, the committee unanimously endorsed Phoebe Kane from the Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club to be their WSCC 2026 Youth Ambassador.
Phoebe is an outstanding candidate for this position having been grounded early in surfing excellence as a member of the extremely competitive yet family orientated Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club and the Palm Beach High School Sports Excellence program that created World Champs like Joel Parkinson & Mick Fanning.
The 2026 World Surfing Conservation Conference will be held at Gold Coast Campus Southern Cross University, Bilinga Gold Coast 23rd – 26th February 2026.
“On behalf of the WSCC committee, we welcome Phoebe into to this new and exciting position. Her achievements are super impressive and will add to our goals of ocean conservation and protecting our surfing ecosystems,” said Andrew McKinnon President of Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve and Chair organiser of WSCC2026.
“I am so grateful for this opportunity, and I look forward to sharing my experiences and knowledge in the surfing environment, with particular focus on the role that women can play in conversation of the oceans and beaches. From cosmetics and sunscreen use to the development of ocean friendly surf equipment, I am excited to see where women could take this, “said Phoebe who is celebrating her 21st birthday this weekend.
As a dedicated surfing conservationist, Phoebe had no trouble stepping up to the microphone to speak at the sixth biennial Global Wave Conference at Southern Cross University in 2020 presenting on microplastics on the back of her 1 Pop 2 Save Bubble Wrap project as a young 15-year-old young enthusiastic grom.
Having begun her surfing career as a 9-year-old, it wasn’t long before she elevated herself to the top of women’s surfing by taking out the u/16 Qld Junior State Surfing Titles, girls division in 2019 to represent her home State at the Nationals. In 2021 her name was etched on the PBC (Palm Beach Currumbin High School) Perpetual trophy, as the open girls champion for that year. Possessing a keen eye for detail, Phoebe aspires to be the highest qualifying female judge in Australia and be selected on the judging panel for World Tour events, highly likely to be a judge at the 2032 Olympics potentially held on her home break at Snapper Rocks.
She was selected to participate in the 2024 ISA (International Surfing Association) Women’s Judging Program in Puerto Rico. Phoebe was the only Australian to attend, and the youngest woman in the program with the highest qualifications as far as judging experience goes.
Represented Women’s Judging at the recent Surfing Australia press release announcing $1million funding towards Women’s Surfing, Phoebe is considered Australia’s most qualified Women’s surf judge normally the domain of a male dominated culture.
So far Phoebe has judged the following main events, Burleigh Boardriders Annual Single Fin, ABB (Australian Boardriders Battle National Clubs title), Australian Titles, WSL Qualifying Series events, and Qld State titles (Junior and Groms), and most of the noteworthy grommet and Pro Junior competitions in Southeast Queensland and Northern NSW.
Phoebe is now currently certified as an ISA Judging Level 4 earning her position as a spotter. at the Gold Coast Pro Burleigh for the first time on the World Surf League World Championship Tour panel, an achievement.
“I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank all of my mentors, who have played a crucial role in supporting my surfing career both in competition and professionally. It goes without saying that it takes a village to contribute to the success of one of its own, and this journey, although tough at times, has been truly rewarding, made easier by the support I have received. My aspiration for the future is to hold a regular judging position with the WSL and ISA at the elite level, in Australia and Internationally.
More importantly, it is a passion of mine to continue to inspire women to consider the myriads of roles that they can play in the surfing industry aside from competition. I’d love to see, going forward, a 50/50 balance in most events of women and men sharing these roles. “
What’s the future hold for this astute intelligent young female surfing judge who rips?
Possibly be on the international judging panel for the 2032 Olympics potentially held on her homebreak of Snapper Rocks, Gold Coast Queensland.
Fore more info click on www.wscc2026.com.au
