After hosting the Nippers state titles for five years, the Warrnambool Surf Life Saving Club was selected to host the seniors event after it was decided to shift the Nippers event to Lorne in 2019.

Warrnambool Surf Life Saving Club captain, and city councillor, David Owen said the seniors competition – which includes the under 16s and up – would be “a little bit more spectacular” to watch with the inclusion of surf boats during the two-day event held on the long weekend in March.

“It will be a little bit more high-impact,” Cr Owen said.

“An event of this calibre is immensely important to Warrnambool. It does bring new people and a lot more visitor nights that we may not have had.”

He said that while the Nippers event had moved on, being chosen to host the seniors competition recognised Warrnambool’s ability to host such events.

“The club really did a fantastic job and I think the Nippers next year will realise, having moved on to another location, how wonderful a job Warrnambool had done,” Cr Owen said.

He said it was possible the Nippers event may make a return to Warrnambool in the future.

Club vice-president John McNeil said Warrnambool had successfully hosted the Nippers for five years because it was the perfect size to host 1400 competitors and their families.

“We would have got it again only the fact that it just had to go somewhere else,” he said.

“A lot of coastal towns can’t hold that amount of people, and also with the kids you’ve got to have a back-up plan with beaches, so when we get a bit of swell we can push them towards the pavilion.

“The Nippers fill the caravan park.

“It’s a no-brainer when you think about that sort of money they take for one weekend, it’s not a bad little kick for Warrnambool.

“The seniors certainly isn’t the event that the juniors is, it’s still good for Warrnambool.

“It’s still pretty good that Warrnambool gets to host these big events.”