WOOC26: Zoe’s off to Galway!

Our 2026 Australian Oyster Shucking Champion Zoe Jacobson and husband Mat are on their way to Ireland, with the World Oyster Opening Championships now just days away.

They’ll touch down in Dublin on Tuesday and before Saturday’s competition, Zoe will spend the week immersed in Galway’s oyster culture. Each day brings time with growers and the 16 national champions on farm tours, pop-up oyster bars and Friday’s Irish National Championships.

Competitors have travelled from countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Estonia and Latvia.

It’s been a busy few months since the self-taught shucker from Tasmania won the Australian title at this year’s Festival – learning about a new species of oyster, renovating the Yumbah farm gate at Forty Two Degrees Dunally and growing oysters.

“I’m feeling all the feelings. Nervous, excited, everything. I can’t wait,” Zoe said.

There’s plenty of support travelling with her from Australia, and a warm welcome waiting in Ireland too. Zoe’s first stop is Dublin, where she will meet Australia’s Ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Chantelle Taylor, before heading west to Galway.

There, she’ll meet some of her “oyster idols”, including former World Champion shucker and Guinness World record holder Patrick “Shucker Paddy” McMurray, who will MC Saturday’s Championships, along with international competitors and Ireland’s most respected oyster growers.

“There’s a lot of people I have followed for a long time that have come out of the woodwork saying, ‘We’ll be happy to help you over there’. Oyster nerds like us get starstruck over these people, so it’s been really lovely,” she said.

Zoe has spent months preparing for the oyster she will face in Galway.

At home oystering around the Tasman Peninsular, she has been practising on Angasi oysters sourced from The Oyster Province. This Australian native flat oyster is our closest relative in shape and character to the Galway Flat, and Zoe admits the transition was an eye-opener.

“They’re really tough. I was humbled quite quickly when I first started opening them. I absolutely smashed them, literally smashed them. It wasn’t good,” she laughed.

“They have such a thick shell. I’ve definitely got a bit more muscle on the arms now!”

Zoe has also spent the past few months thinking carefully about technique.

Her usual approach is to enter through the oyster’s ‘beak’ before sliding the knife through the adductor muscle. Another way is through the hinge, but changing a technique built over years would be a major adjustment so close to competition.

“I considered learning the hinge technique, but I’m going to go with what I’ve done throughout this whole journey, and I’m using my own technique.”

There is one familiar movement she has had to forego as part of the competition rules: ‘the flip’. In Australia, Zoe would usually turn the oyster over in its shell after opening for presentation. At the World Championships, oysters are presented as they are opened.

“Actually, I find it much easier. It makes things a lot quicker. It made me wonder why we spend so much time on it,” she said.

“But I still believe they look much better flipped. I can see there’s a growing trend in Australia to not flip anymore, so we’ll see what happens with it and go with the flow.”

Back home in Dunalley, customers have been dropping by to wish her luck.

“People have been beautiful, very supportive,” Zoe said.

“We are actually at the beginning of this competitive shucking journey in Tasmania. Hopefully we can inspire more people to get into it.”

Read more about the World Oyster Opening Championships and get the latest news here.

Narooma Oyster Festival is home of the Australian Oyster Shucking Championships which are proudly supported by Australia’s Oyster Coast.