Another youthful Werri Warrior Shellharbour wins Lifeguard Challenge

Lifeguards from Kiama, Shellharbour, Wollongong and Shoalhaven Councils battled it out at Surf Beach in the Lifeguard Challenge – a five leg relay race with a runner, swimmer, board paddler, two tube swimmers and a nipper board paddler.

With a total of 10 teams competing, Shellharbour took out the first two places - their B team placing first and A team second - with the Kiama A team placing third followed by the Wollongong A team.

The Kiama Lifeguard who initiated the event, Blair Day, says it was a beautiful night with lifeguards ecstatic to be taking part in a race that involves the entire region.

“It was a close race with the first three teams finishing within 30 seconds of one another.

“We were really happy to place third as we have a smaller Council than Shellharbour and Wollongong, so we did really well.

“It was a great night with beautiful conditions and a crowd of a couple of hundred people sitting up on the grass and in the Surf Life Saving Club watching on.”

Afterwards, the teams relaxed upstairs on the Club deck.

“We’d like to thank Kiama SLSC for letting us use their facilities,” Blair says. With the ‘perfect backdrop at Surf Beach’, Blair says the Challenge will return to Kiama next year, with the hope of it growing to become the South Coast’s version of the annual Bondi lifeguard relay.

by Cassandra Zaucer

Young GSLSC members have again stepped up and impressed with 15 year old Wyland Hall named the 2023 Werri Warrior and last year’s surprise winner, 12 year old Lucy Darragh, right behind him in second place. This year’s event was one of the biggest with over 65 competitors and thousands of spectators lining the beach. It saw competitors of all ages set off at the same time to face a swim around a buoy, a run to the north end of Werri Beach, and another two swims before a final run to the top of Gerringong Headland and back.

GSLSC’s Richard Payne says, “Both Wyland and Lucy have been training really hard with the Club all season. They are fantastic swimmers and good runners, so they had a really good battle for the top.

“The Club is certainly very proud of Wyland and Lucy and all the hard work that they have put in over the past couple of years to see them perform so well.”

In a short time, with the support of Gerringong Lions and the Werri Boardriders, he’s pleased it has become a whole of community event.

by Cassandra Zaucer

Tuesday