The Shark Island Challenge 2026 has returned to Cronulla with one of bodyboarding’s most respected line-ups, a dangerous reef wave at the centre of the contest, and Hawaiian legend Mike Stewart back in the draw after his memorable 2025 victory.

The contest is scheduled across Sunday, May 24 and Monday, May 25, with action due to begin at 12pm local time on both days. Cronulla Point is again the stage, giving fans a direct view of one of Australia’s most famous bodyboarding waves and one of the sport’s most unforgiving competition arenas.

The event is being streamed through Sporting News Australia, giving fans a way to follow the men’s and women’s heats live as the field takes on Shark Island’s heavy barrels. Viewers can follow the official coverage through Sporting News Australia’s Shark Island Challenge live stream guide.

Elite field returns to one of bodyboarding’s most demanding waves

Shark Island has long carried a reputation that goes far beyond a standard surf contest venue. The wave is shallow, fast and technical, producing heavy barrels that reward commitment but punish mistakes. That is why the event continues to draw attention beyond Australia, particularly when international names and local Cronulla specialists are placed in the same heat draw.

The 2026 men’s field includes a strong mix of experienced competitors, past winners, international riders and rising names. The first three men’s heats feature Lewy Finnegan, Jack Baker, Cory Daglish and Jacob Romero in Heat 1; Jase Finlay, John Showell, Ben Sawyer and Harley Ward in Heat 2; and Marli Dunn, Shaun Pyne, James Kates and Jess Landrigan in Heat 3.

The second half of the men’s draw adds even more weight to the contest. Heat 4 includes Damien King, Doug Showell, Dave Winchester and Sean Lee. Heat 5 brings together Liam Lucas, Sam Strachan, Tanner McDaniel and Mike Stewart. Heat 6 features Cohen Thomas, Andrew Lester, Michael Ostler and Liam Otoole.

The women’s competition is also set for a high-pressure battle, with Ebony Schell, Lilly Pollard, Jane Keel, Isabella Souza and Sophie Pickering listed in the women’s heat. At a wave like Shark Island, heat position can matter, but timing, wave selection and composure often decide more than reputation.

Mike Stewart’s return adds a major storyline

Much of the attention will naturally fall on Mike Stewart, whose 2025 Shark Island Challenge win added another remarkable chapter to one of bodyboarding’s most decorated careers. Stewart’s name carries unusual weight at this event because his connection to Shark Island stretches across generations, from his earlier triumph in 2000 to his return to the top in 2025.

His presence in Heat 5 gives the opening round one of its clearest focal points. Stewart will face Liam Lucas, Sam Strachan and Tanner McDaniel in a heat that brings together experience, local knowledge and competitive pressure. For fans watching live, that heat could quickly become one of the most closely followed moments of the early draw.

Ben Sawyer is another key name in the field. Sawyer won the 2024 Shark Island Challenge and returns in Heat 2 alongside Jase Finlay, John Showell and Harley Ward. Andrew Lester, Dave Winchester, Damien King, Jase Finlay and other established names also give the 2026 contest a deep competitive field rather than a single-rider storyline.

The history of the event adds to that weight. Past winners have included Ben Sawyer, Jase Finlay, Mitch Rawlins, Andrew Lester, Dave Winchester, Ryan Hardy, Ben Player, Guilherme Tamega, Damian King and Stewart himself. That winner list explains why Shark Island remains one of bodyboarding’s most respected specialty contests: it tends to reward riders who can handle both technical ability and raw ocean power.

For Cronulla, the return of the contest is also a local sporting moment. Shark Island is not just a wave on the event calendar; it is part of the area’s surf identity. When conditions line up, the point becomes a natural amphitheatre, with spectators watching from the rocks and shoreline as riders commit to some of the heaviest barrels in Australian bodyboarding.

The 2026 edition arrives with a simple but powerful appeal: a dangerous wave, a decorated defending champion, several past winners, and a live broadcast that gives global bodyboarding fans access to Cronulla’s premier contest. Across two days, Shark Island will again test whether reputation, experience or fearless timing matters most when the sets start standing up on the reef.