CELEBRATING 46 YEARS: POWERCOR LORNE PIER TO PUB AND MOUNTAIN TO SURF RETURN IN 2026
Tide Communications
The Lorne Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) is proud to once again welcome swimmers, runners and spectators to the Powercor Lorne Pier to Pub and Mountain to Surf: two cornerstone events that showcase the best of Lorne’s coastal community and spirit.
Taking place on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 January 2026, the weekend will see more than 7,000 participants and 20,000 visitors join together for one of Australia’s most loved sporting traditions, with both events supporting the ongoing lifesaving and beach safety efforts of the Lorne SLSC.
Held annually on the second weekend of January, the Powercor Lorne Pier to Pub and Mountain to Surf celebrate a longstanding tradition of athletic challenge, comradery and fundraising for beach safety. Race Director and long-time competitor Peter Williamson said the events continue to represent the strength and connection of the Lorne and Surf Coast communities: “Every year, we’re inspired by the energy and dedication of our volunteers, participants and supporters. These events are a true reflection of what community spirit looks like: bringing people of all ages and abilities together to celebrate the coast we love.”
Last year saw a 19-year-old record fall, with Elwood runner Edward Marks clocking 21:48 to better former-Olympian Steve Moneghetti’s 2006 Powercor Lorne Mountain to Surf record and take out first place in the men’s Open division. In the women’s field, elite marathon runner Sarah Klein led the pack to claim the top spot for the 2nd year running. More than 2,100 participants took part in the 8km run, winding through forested trails and along the iconic Great Ocean Road.
The following day, the 45th Powercor Lorne Pier to Pub welcomed more than 4,900 swimmers, cementing its reputation as Australia’s largest open-water swim. Lani Pallister, Olympic gold medallist and recent World Record setter in the 800m Short Course Freestyle, powered to her sixth consecutive win in the women’s division with a time of 11:25 for the 1.2km course, while fellow Olympian Nick Sloman claimed victory in the men’s race with 10:13 ahead of World 400m Silver medallist Sam Short. While the podium featured such elite talent from across the country, it was Lorne SLSC club member Harry Hay who stole the show, igniting the crowd as he charged out of the shallows to finish third in the Superfish division just behind the two star Olympians.
Now entering its 46th year, the Powercor Lorne Pier to Pub, and Mountain to Surf, continue to embody the Lorne SLSC’s mission of promoting beach safety, wellness and connection through sport. The 2026 event also marks Powercor’s seventh consecutive year as title partner, reinforcing its commitment to supporting regional communities and volunteer lifesaving services across Victoria. Scott Russell, General Manager at Powercor, said, “We’re proud to continue standing alongside the Lorne Surf Life Saving Club. Just as our teams keep the power flowing along the Great Ocean Road, the club’s volunteers keep the community safe on and off the beach.”
As volunteer-led events, the Powercor Pier to Pub and Mountain to Surf would not be possible without the contributions of the SLSC community and the ongoing support from key sponsors such as Powercor. Proceeds made from the event go directly to the Lorne SLSC to assist with the maintenance of water safety along the surf coast.
Registrations for the 2026 Powercor Lorne Pier to Pub and Mountain to Surf open on 3 November, with participants of all levels invited to take part in this much-loved coastal tradition.
KEY DATES
Entries Open: Monday 3 November 2025
Early Bird Closes: Monday 1 December 2025
Powercor Mountain to Surf: Friday 9 January 2026, 8:30am
Powercor Pier to Pub: Saturday 10 January 2026, 11:00am
Registration Times:
Powercor Mountain to Surf: Thursday 8 January 2026: 7:00am-8:30am & Friday 9 January: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Powercor Pier to Pub: Friday 9 January: 4:00pm – 6:00pm & Saturday 10 January: 8:00am – 12:00pm
TICKET PRICES
Powercor Pier to Pub: $80 early bird / $90 after 1 December
Powercor Mountain to Surf: $65 adults ($55 juniors) early bird / $75 & $65 after 1 December
REGISTER NOW
About us:
ABOUT LORNE SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB
Founded before WWII and re-established in 1947, Lorne Surf Life Saving Club is renowned for the Pier to Pub and Mountain to Surf competitions held annually. Located along The Great Ocean Road, the club boasts its beautiful beach with a stunning outlook of Louttit Bay. The Club has a proud history of surf lifesaving education, competition, volunteer engagement and patrolling. Volunteers and patrollers protect visitors to the beach, marked in yellow and red uniforms, generally spotted supervising the beach out on boards or boats. As a part of the Club, people can become a lifesaver, join the nippers or Inflatable Rescue Boat crew program or compete in a variety of programs, including surfboat rowing, swimming, board and ski paddling and beach running. The progressive Club was quick to embrace and celebrate its women members after an amendment of National Council Policy in 1979/80, with women now occupying almost half of the club’s members. In 2024, Lorne Surf Life Saving Club records 1769 members and 303 volunteer patrol members.
ABOUT POWERCOR
Powercor is Victoria’s largest distributor, moving electricity to and from more than 920,000 homes and businesses across the western suburbs of Melbourne and through central and western Victoria to the South Australian and New South Wales borders. Powercor is Australia’s most reliable and lowest-cost rural distribution network, which includes more than 77,000 kilometres of total wires and more than 602,000 poles and associated infrastructure. Powercor plays a critical role in supporting Victoria’s clean energy transition, with our network supporting more than 2500MW of renewable energy.
Our teams operate from 13 depots, our Bendigo-based customer contact centre and our CBD headquarters to deliver safe, reliable and affordable electricity by operating, managing and maintaining all network assets and metering services.
Contact details:
Jessie Dalgleish
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