Championship off after surf death

North Kirra was empty on Thursday after a teen died in rough seas.

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ORGANISERS of a national surf lifesaving championship on the Gold Coast have cancelled all water-based events following the death of 19-year-old champion surfer Saxon Bird.

The Sydney-based surf lifesaver got into difficulties in rough conditions off Kurrawa Beach on Friday afternoon while competing in the under-19 ironman event at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.

He was hit by his own ski and fell 150m from the beach and died in hospital later on Friday.

On Saturday morning, organisers of the event cancelled all water, craft and boat events in all age groups for the remainder of the championships. Sand-based events would continue, they said.

Kurrawa Beach was quiet on Saturday morning, with just a couple of surfers braving a two-metre-plus swell, a result of Cyclone Ului which is bearing down on the Queensland coast.

Bird, from Denistone, in Sydney's northwest, was representing the Queenscliff Surf Life Saving Club, of which federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is a member.

He is the second person to die in the championship's history.

A news conference is expected to take place on Saturday morning with CEO of Surf Lifesaving Australia (SLSA) Brett Williamson, SLSA President Ron Rankin, President of Queenscliff Lifesaving Club David Piper and Gold Coast police superintendent Jim Keogh.