QLD Surf Life Saving Championships Event Guide

MARCH 2019 GOLD COAST

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PROFESSIONAL IRONMAN 50 YEARS OF NIPPERS LIVESTREAM the ACTION on Facebook!

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WELCOME TO SURF SPORTS The action will be fast and furious when more than 3,000 competitors from across the state line up on the Gold Coast over the next two weekends to contest the 2019 Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships.

Some of the sport’s biggest names will be in action across the six days of competition, along with nippers, masters, and other surf lifesavers from all corners of the state.

The Youth Championships will be held at Burleigh Heads from March 8-10, featuring some of Queensland’s top junior surf lifesavers. This year

Queensland, and we'll no doubt be in for a great few days of racing.

Meanwhile, the action continues at Broadbeach from March 15-17, where the state’s top beach and ocean athletes will battle it out at the Masters and Open Championships.

If you haven’t been to a surf sports carnival before, this is a wonderful opportunity to come down and experience the action and excitement of competitive surf lifesaving.

Good luck to all athletes, officials, and volunteers in action!

marks the 50th anniversary of the Youth Championships and Nippers in

Mark Fife OAM

SLSQ President

Surf Life Saving is part of the Australian

We also pioneered the use of jet skis in

way of life. It is iconic and celebrates

Australia and were the first lifeguard

two of our best qualities – a willingness

service to have staff trained in the use

to serve others and a desire to enjoy an

of defibrillators.

active and healthy lifestyle.

Let me offer a great Gold Coast welcome

For well over a century, our surf life

to the more than 3,000 competitors from

saving clubs have been protecting bathers from the might of the ocean and

around the nation who will show great heart and athleticism during

the need never diminishes. Nearly 4,000

the championships.

people owe their lives to surf lifesavers so far this season alone.

City of Gold Coast is proud to have

Tom Tate

played a pioneering role in surf life saving, too. Our lifeguard service was the first in Australia to adopt a formal surveillance tower plan along the coastal strip that began in 1989

Mayor - City of Gold Coast

Images courtesy of Shane Myers (@monkeyfoto), Ocean6 Series and Harvie Allision (Harvpix).

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WHAT TO WATCH It will literally be on for young and old when some of the state’s top beach and ocean athletes converge on the Gold Coast over the next two weekends for the 2019 Queensland Youth, Open, and Masters Surf Life Saving Championships.

The pinnacle sporting events on Surf Life Saving Queensland’s calendar will see more than 3,000 competitors, aged from under 11 through to over 80, put their fitness, skill, and determination to the ultimate test in their quest for glory.

Youth CHAMPIONSHIPS MARCH 8 - 10 @ BURLEIGH HEADS FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

•• Under-15 Male and Female Board Rescue

•• Under-12 and Under-14 Board Rescue

•• Ironman and Ironwoman – all ages

•• Surf Teams – all ages

•• Under-13 and Under-15 Beach Sprint

•• All Age Beach Relay

•• Under-12 and Under-14 Beach Sprints

•• Under-15 Beach Relay

•• Under-15 Board Race

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MARCH 15 - 17 @ BROADBEACH FRIDAY

SATURDAY

•• Masters competition

•• Beach Sprints and Flags

•• Open Board Rescue

•• Under-17 and Under-19 Taplin Relay

•• Open Rescue Tube

•• Open Female Surf Team

SUNDAY •• Open Ironman and Ironwoman •• Open Board Race •• Open Taplin Relays

Livestream all the finals action!

Sunday, March 17 @lifesavingQLD

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SURF SPORTS 101

New to surf sports? Don’t know your Taplins from your boards and skis? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

SURF BOATS

TAPLIN RELAY

SURF SKIS

There are few sports in the world

The Taplin Relay is the most

Ski paddling not only challenges

that can match surf boat racing

prestigious team event on the

an athlete’s physical capacity, but

for its unique combination of raw

championship calendar, with each

also their ability to read and adjust

power, precision, and tactical nous.

club nominating their top athletes in

to the surf conditions. Competitors

Its excitement and unpredictability

swimming, ski, and board paddling

use their ocean experience to

make it a favourite amongst

to race off over a fast-and-furious

navigate a marked course, while

spectators and competitors alike.

relay circuit. Competitors head into

making the most of any waves on

Each race features teams of four

the surf, around a buoy, and back to

offer. Competitors race off in single

rowers, plus a ‘sweep’ who guides the boat, battling the waves and

shore, before tagging their teammate who completes the next leg.

ski, double ski, and ski relay events.

each other over an out-and-

but they are slimmer, longer,

Relay, youth competitors compete in

and specifically designed to

Still confused? Think rowing, but

the Cameron Relay, a combination

handle waves.

in the surf, and with much

of swimming, running, and

bigger waves!

board paddling.

back course.

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Surf skis might look like kayaks,

Did you know? Instead of the Taplin

IRONMAN AND IRONWOMAN If there’s one event that captures the drama and romance of

To succeed at the top level, competitors need to master all four

competitive surf lifesaving, it’s the ironman and woman. It’s the

disciplines, with even a single weak leg potentially leaving them

arena where reputations are made and where legends are born.

well off the pace.

As one of the sport’s most iconic and popular events, iron

Did you know? While all iron races include a combination of

racing remains the ultimate test of a lifesaver’s skill, fitness, and

swimming, board, and ski paddling, the exact order of events is

courage. Competitors battle it out over a gruelling course made

unknown in advance and determined by a random draw at the

up of swimming, board paddling, and surf skiing, with a bit of

start of each carnival.

running thrown in for good measure.

BOARD RACING

BEACH SPRINTS & FLAGS

MARCH PAST

Every year lifesavers pull hundreds

Queensland’s fastest lifesavers

The March Past has been part of the

of swimmers from the water using

will go for gold in the beach sprint,

surf lifesaving movement since the

rescue boards. These skills are put to the test in board racing, where

racing off in a flat-out dash to the finish line. Think a 100m sprint, but

beginning of competition. Dressed in traditional club uniform, lifesavers

competitors paddle through the surf

on sand!

march in time to music around a set

and around a marked course before racing back to shore.

Meanwhile, beach flags is often

Meanwhile, competitors pair up to

compared to a game of musical chairs; lifesavers lay facedown on

compete in the surf board rescue,

the sand, before jumping up and

with one person acting as a patient.

racing to grab one of a number of

The pair completes a simulated

batons roughly 20m away. There are

‘rescue’ in the water, before paddling back to the beach.

always fewer batons than athletes,

course carrying a surf reel, line, and belt. Teams are judged on a number of factors including timing and presentation.

and those who fail to secure one are eliminated.

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UPCOMING EVENTS GOLD COAST • QLD Youth State Championships | 8 to 10 March • QLD Senior State Championships | 15 to 17 March • Australian Youth Championships | 30 to 31 March • Australian Masters Championships | 1 to 2 April • Australian Championships | 3 to 7 April • Summer Surf Program Awards Dinner | 10 May • State Pool Rescue Championships | 20 to 21 July • Australian Pool Rescue Championships | 9 to 11 August

BRISBANE • SLSQ Awards of Excellence | 24 August • Westpac Chopper Fundraiser Lunch

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* Terms and conditions apply. Promo codes are valid for bookings made online only. 10% off is only applicable to the daily date, not valid with any other sale rates. Rooms are subject to availability. Full payment is required at time of booking. Bookings subject to a minimum night stay restrictions as listed on the website. Dates of events are correct as of 08 February 2019, please confirm event dates on the SLSQ official website.

State Champs BY the NUMBERS

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In 2018/19 Nippers is officially celebrating its

To mark the historic milestone, the 2019

50th anniversary in Queensland and half-a-

Queensland Youth Championships are returning

century on from its launch, the iconic Surf Life

to Burleigh Beach, 50 years after the inaugural

Saving program is proving more popular

competition was first held there on 3 March 1969.

than ever.

Some of Australia’s greatest athletes have lined

Initially designed to help boost membership

up at the Championships over the years, from

across the state, Nippers has since developed

emerging ironmen and women right through to

into one of the most popular and long-standing

future Olympic legends including Susie O’Neill,

youth activities in the country. More than 280,000

Grant Hackett, and Clint Robinson.

youngsters have been involved since its inception, having fun and learning crucial water safety skills along the way.

“Nippers has been built on the philosophy of family, friends, and fun, but it’s also so much more than that,” explains SLSQ membership manager Jamie Findlay.

“There aren’t many youth sports in the world where you have the opportunity to learn lifelong and lifesaving skills, and that’s what makes Nippers so important.”

Former Nipper and Brisbane Broncos star Matt Gillett still remembers the joy of winning the under-11 beach relay for Bribie Island in 1999.

“There are a lot of good memories from back then, particularly going away to those state carnivals,” he said.

“I think surf lifesaving in general is such a good environment – you’re on the beach, out in the sun, enjoying the ocean – what more could you ask for?”

JOIN TODAY! lifesaving.com.au/nippers

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The Youth Championships have always been a breeding ground for tomorrow’s superstars.

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YOUTH CHAMPS Nippers flock to Burleigh for Youth Champs A wave of nippers will hit the Gold Coast this

“Many of our clubs have been in training now for

month, when the 2019 Queensland Youth Surf

months, and I’m sure they’ll be raring and ready

Life Saving Championships kick off at Burleigh

to go this weekend,” he said.

Heads (March 8-10).

“All of our sport’s biggest names, including the

More than 1,650 of the sport’s top juniors, from

likes of Shannon Eckstein, Courtney Hancock,

Port Douglas down to Rainbow Bay, will dive in

and even going back to guys like Trevor Hendy

to contest the championships, which remain the

and Grant Kenny, they all started off as nippers

pinnacle sporting event for all nippers aged 11 to

and junior surf lifesavers.

15 years old.

“The Youth Championships have always been

The youngsters will compete against each other

a breeding ground for tomorrow’s superstars,

in a variety of lifesaving disciplines including

and it’s really exciting to think about how many

the ironman and ironwoman, surf swims, beach

future Australian or World Champions we might

flags, sprints, and relays.

see running around this weekend.”

SLSQ surf sports manager Stuart Hogben

Last year Gold Coast’s Currumbin won its first

expects the competition to be fierce over the

title in more than 20 years, with Northcliffe and

coming three days of action.

Maroochydore rounding out the podium.

#BackToBurleigh

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We’re for keeping our beaches safe

livestream THE IRON ACTION

Sunday, 17 March @ Broadbeach or livestream @LifesavingQLD 14

A day in the life of A PROFESSIONAL IRONMAN For most people, the idea of waking up at 4:30am and training three times a day, six days a week, sounds like the stuff of nightmares. But for professional ironman Matt Poole, it’s all part of staying on top of his sport.

>

TRAINING “Every day’s different for us because we’re trying to balance all of the specific training around

Then I’ll normally hop out, have some breakfast, and around 9:00am to 11:00am

our various disciplines with board, skis, and

I’ll either have a gym session or a running

swimming, and then running transitions as well.

session. Then in the afternoon, we’re usually

On an average day, I’m generally up early and at the pool from around 5:30am until 7:00am and we’ll cover anywhere from four to six kilometres during that time.

> >

down at Kurrawa Surf Club from around 4:00pm for a board or ski session.

We normally get through an average of around 12 to 15 sessions per week.”

DIET “I’m not too selective with my food, and I don’t

In the morning I’ll have anything from eggs

have any crazy sort of specifications or diets. I try

to Nutri-Grain cereal and fruit. For lunch I’ll

to keep it as simple as possible by eating good,

generally have any type of meat, whether it’s

healthy, natural foods. I’ll generally try to get my

chicken or steak, with rice and vegetables or

proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into each meal and then obviously some salads and vegetables.

salad, and then dinner is something similar.”

RECOVERY “On top of our regular sessions, I’ll also do a lot of

all at 100% intensity. With some sessions the

recovery, which includes anything from massage

intensity is really high, whereas other sessions

through to ice baths and stretching.

are focusing more on the skills side of it.”

You have to listen to your body; if you’re doing 12 to 15 sessions per week, you can’t do them

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IRONWOMAN

ONES TO

Brielle Copper

Maddy Dunn

Courtney Hancock

Over the past 12 months Kurrawa young

Maddy Dunn won her first Nutri-Grain

There isn’t much in the sport that Courtney

gun Brielle Cooper has well and truly stamped herself as a genuine superstar,

Series round at just 18 years of age, and has since emerged as one of surf

Hancock hasn’t achieved. With a resume boasting multiple Queensland and

with a series of dominant performances

lifesaving’s most consistent performers.

Australian titles, three Nutri-Grain Series,

helping secure a breakthrough title at last

She’ll line up at Broadbeach full of

and three Coolangatta Golds, it’s easy

year’s Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series.

confidence after another strong summer

to see why she’s regarded as one of the

of racing.

sport’s premier athletes.

DOB: 25/03/1999 CLUB: Kurrawa

DOB: 02/11/1994 CLUB: Northcliffe

DOB: 03/08/1988 CLUB: Northcliffe

Karlee Nurthen

Georgia Miller

Lana Rogers

Years of hard work paid off for Currumbin’s Karlee Nurthen when she broke through to

An incredible run of form over the past 12 months has seen Northcliffe’s Georgia

Noosa’s Lana Rogers continues to forge a reputation as one of surf

win the world ironwoman and board titles

Miller secure her first Coolangatta Gold

lifesaving’s toughest competitors. One

late last year. The dual world champion

crown, win six gold medals for Australia at

of the top swimmers in the field, Rogers

will be eager to add more gold to her

the Lifesaving World Championships, and

stormed home at last year’s Australian

collection at Broadbeach.

securea maiden title at t this year’s

Championships to take out a maiden

Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series.

national ironwoman title.

DOB: 09/02/1996 CLUB: Northcliffe

DOB: 18/04/1996 CLUB: Noosa Heads

DOB: 21/12/1995 CLUB: Currumbin 16

O WATCH

IRONMAN

Matt Bevilacqua

Ben Carberry

Ali Day

Kurrawa’s Matt Bevilacqua continues

A renewed focus on surf lifesaving has paid

Ali Day showed his class at last year’s

to emerge as one of the sport’s top competitors, with four paddleboard

dividends for Ben Carberry, following a stint in rugby league. Carberry returned

Coolangatta Gold, taking out a recordbreaking sixth title at the gruelling event.

world titles and a Nutri-Grain Ironman

to the surf this summer and immediately

The reigning world ironman champion has

Series already to his name. He’ll line

impressed, showing his class with a

been in top form over summer, and will

up at Broadbeach in search of a second

number of strong performances in the

be looking to win back-to-back

Queensland ironman title.

Ocean6 Series.

Queensland titles.

DOB: 30/03/1992 CLUB: Kurrrawa

DOB: 05/07/1994 CLUB: Currumbin

DOB: 20/07/1990 CLUB: Surfers Paradise

Caine Eckstein

Shannon Eckstein

Matt Poole

A five-time Coolangatta Gold champion, Caine Eckstein is widely viewed as one of

With eight Australian titles and six world titles under his belt, it’s easy to see why

A nail-biting win in the 2017 Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Series saw Matt Poole achieve

the endurance kings of ironman racing.

Shannon Eckstein is widely regarded as the

a lifelong ambition, and strengthen his

His reputation was further enhanced when

greatest ironman of all time. He’ll be lining

place amongst the sport’s elite. Another

he broke the Guinness World Record for

up at his last Queensland Championships

big summer of racing has the veteran well-

the most number of pull-ups completed in

after recently announcing his retirement

placed and ready to strike heading into the

both 12 and 24 hours.

from professional racing.

Queensland Championships.

DOB: 16/11/1985 CLUB: Northcliffe

DOB: 07/05/1983 CLUB: Northcliffe

DOB: 20/05/1988 CLUB: Kurrawa

LIFESAVINGCHAMPS.COM.AU

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SURF SPORT SAVING LIVES Actual rescue that unfolded during the 2018 State Championships.

Rivalries will be reignited and reputations put on the line when the state’s top surf sport athletes line up at the 2019 Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships.

The Championships will see some of the

or discipline, the underlying purpose of surf

world’s fittest and fastest athletes go head-

sport is to improve and refine lifesaving skills

to-head as they battle the surf, sand, and each other in their quest to be crowned

and ultimately, support Surf Life Saving Queensland's goal of eliminating drowning

Queensland's best.

deaths across the state.

However, what can often be lost amongst the

This was no more evident than during last

excitement of racing is that each and every

year’s Championships, when a routine

competitor lining up is a highly-trained surf

qualifier turned into a genuine life and death

lifesaver in their own right, with the skills

race against time.

and knowledge to protect beachgoers up and down the coast.

As competitors lined up to contest the

From surf swims to beach sprints and

under-19 taplin relay, they were alerted to a group of Asian tourists struggling in the water

everything in between, all of the skills

at an unpatrolled stretch of beach nearby.

performed in the competitive arena are also

The group was caught in a treacherous rip,

on display when lifesavers and lifeguards

struggling to stay afloat, and getting dragged

patrol their local beach.

further out to sea by the minute.

“Skills such as reading the surf, navigating rips, and getting out past the break as quickly

With no hesitation, a group of four athletes and a coach immediately abandoned the race

as possible might help someone win gold

and rushed to assist, using years of lifesaving

at events like this but, more importantly,

training to safely navigate the tricky surf and

the exact same skillset could help save a life

assist the group of swimmers back to shore.

under different circumstances,” explains SLSQ sport manager Stuart Hogben.

There will be hundreds of gold medals up for grabs over the next two weeks but, for the

And therein lies the key difference between

thousands of lifesavers lining up, it doesn’t

surf lifesaving and other competitions across

get any better than using their skills to help

the country. Regardless of the event, athlete,

someone when it really matters.

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the exact same skillset could help save a life under different circumstances.

LIFESAVINGCHAMPS.COM.AU

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Our focus in 2019 remains to continue to provide our customers with the best boards we can produce.

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We are THE BOARD specialists Thank you to all our customers and best of luck over the State weekends. #krackafamily www.krackasurfcraft.com.au

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2019 Queensland Senior Championships, Broadbeach QLD

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