Entries open for the 2018 Noosa Festival of Surfing on 1 July and festival organisers are anticipating an unprecedented influx of competitors.

For several years the largest surfing event worldwide by competitor numbers, the Noosa Festival has continued to grow each year, 2017 seeing a record-breaking 910 competitors from all over the world.

Gus O’Malley – technically a junior, but a finalist in 2017’s Okanui Old Mal division. Photo: SurfShots Noosa

Amateur and age divisions open at the end of this week, launching the festival for 2018, and already festival staff are fielding expressions of interest for the 27th annual event.

While entries for the pro divisions won’t open until November, the men’s and women’s open categories, the increasingly popular Old Mal division and age divisions from under 15 to over 70 will be filling rapidly in the coming weeks.

After a resoundingly successful event this year, with many calling it the best yet, 2018 will continue to expand its ‘8 Days of Pure Stoke’ ethos, with surfing all day and a party on the sand every afternoon and evening at Noosa Head’s world-renowned First Point.