Budding surfer Aidan Chamberlain knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to work hard to be the best.
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A love of surfing is not enough for the 14-year-old, who has given up other sports and music to concentrate solely on becoming the best surfer he possibly can.
The Bulli teenager’s 12-year-old sister Anna is just as determined to succeed and follow in the footsteps of her surfing “inspiration’’, Sally Fitzgibbons.
Most days the siblings head out to either McAuley’s Beach in Thirroul or Bulli’s Sublime Point for a surf.
This weekend the duo will head to the birthplace of Australian surfing to compete against some of the nation’s top up-and-coming groms.
The Australian Open of Surfing Sydney Grom Challenge will take place at Manly Beach on February 25 and 26.
The AOS Sydney Grom Challenge is part of the 2017 Australian Open of Surfing, which is touted as Australia’s biggest lifestyle and action sports festival, incorporating 300 of the world’s top athletes across surf, BMX and sport.
The second ever Australian Open of Surfing Sydney Grom Challenge will comprise four divisions – under-16 boys and girls and under-14 boys and girls.
Competitors hail from throughout Australia.
The Holy Spirit College students have been putting in the extra training hours ahead of the prestigious event, working with their coach Nic Squiers.
Anna will compete in the under-14 girls, while Aidan will take part in the under-16 boys’ division.
They're also members of the Scarborough Boardriders and have represented Illawarra in a number of surfing state carnivals.
Aidan said there was nothing better than spending time alone in the water surfing.
“I just love getting away from everything and just surfing,’’ he said.
Jed Ashton (Bulli), Charli Hurst (Port Kembla) and Kiama Downs siblings Cooper and Tahlia Collinge will also compete in Manly.
The festival will feature some of the world’s best athletes, including 2016 women’s world surfing champion Tyler Wright, surfing superstar Julian Wilson and six of the world’s top ten-ranked WSL female surfers.