When is the competition season, and how is my age worked out?

The SLSA competition season runs from 1 November in one year to 30 September in the next. The 2026/27 season therefore runs from 1 November 2026 to 30 September 2027.

For individual events, all competitors use a common birth date calculation: your age at midnight on 30 September each year determines your age category in that competition season. For combined-age Masters teams, the manual adds each person's age as at the 30 September prior to the season, so someone who turns 40 during the season counts as 39.

The rules in this FAQ come from the SLSA Surf Sports Manual, 38th Edition (issued October 2025). SLSA may issue bulletins and circulars that supplement or update it, and the authorised source is the version in the Document Library of the SLS Members' Hub.