The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships kicked off on the Gold Coast with more than 7,200 competitors going head-to-head across three beaches and nine action packed days of competition from April 2 to 10.
Starting with the Junior Titles, the Masters then took over the beach and water, before the Open competitors had their chance for Australian gold.
The largest Surf Life Saving event in the world, it makes its return to Queensland this year, after the 2020 Gold Coast event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
'The Aussies,' as they are affectionately known, brings together the country's fittest surf lifesavers, who have spent the summer keeping watch over our beaches, to represent the 314 surf clubs, with the opportunity to test their rescue ready skills across the sand and the surf.
Close to 1,500 competitors from Under 13s to 15s took part in the Youth Championship at North Kirra, with perfect conditions greeting the youngsters for the water competition, with events for the swim, board and ironmen/ironwomen. Broadbeach hosted the beach sprints events.
Wanda was the top performing Bate Bay club finishing on 80 points behind North Burleigh, Maroochydore, North Curl Curl and Alexandra Headland.
The Wanda pair of Rome Southwell and Jayda Zammit-Mayer finished in first place in the Under 15s Female Board Rescue.
Southwell qualified for seven finals, finishing with a bronze medal in the board and surf teams, with her Wanda teammates and her break through Aussie Gold.
Wanda also picked up some gold on the sand, with Kyle Mason taking a dominant win in the Under 14s 2km beach relay and then finished first in the Under 13s and Under 14s Male 2 x 1km Beach Run Relay, with his Wanda teammates also finishing in second place for great points.
North Cronulla had some big winners, with teenage running sensation Sari McKee backing up her 2021 2km Beach Run gold medal with a final shoulder-to-shoulder sprint to the finish line, as her gold medal winning brother Cruz shouted encouragement from the sidelines.
McKee's clubmate, Kaitlyn Williams, took on all comers to snatch gold in the Under 13s Female Beach Flags, with a dominant final run.
North Cronulla sprint sensation Kobe Sorenson won the Under 15s Male Beach Flags and then beat North Bondi's Declan Minto to do the double and win the Under 15s Male Beach Sprint.
The North Cronulla girls finished with silver and bronze in the five person R and R.
The Bate Bay Open competition Australian Surf Life Saving results will be published next week.
John Veage
Thirty five year photographer for Fairfax -former NSW Chief Photographer for FCN and now Photo Journalist for the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader in southern Sydney.Official photographer for Cycling Australia (20 years) Official photographer for Surf Life Saving Australia (30 years) Founding Life Member of Cronulla Boardriders Club and Life Member of Surfing Sutherland Shire among other things.
Thirty five year photographer for Fairfax -former NSW Chief Photographer for FCN and now Photo Journalist for the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader in southern Sydney.Official photographer for Cycling Australia (20 years) Official photographer for Surf Life Saving Australia (30 years) Founding Life Member of Cronulla Boardriders Club and Life Member of Surfing Sutherland Shire among other things.
