2015 International Surf Rescue Challenge

Held September 3-6 on Maroochydore Beach, Sunshine Coast, Australia

For our USA friends we welcome your Lifeguard Teams to Australia

Surf Lifesaving club history in Australia

Australia’s first official surf lifesaving club – the first in the world – was founded at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, in 1906. There was little need for surf lifesaving clubs much before this time as it was illegal to swim in the surf during daylight hours before 1902. It was seen as immoral, and men and women could only ‘bathe’ in the early morning and late evening, and never at the same time! (Source)

There are now around 311 clubs in Australia and around 40,000 juniors training. Trained surf lifesavers spend more than a 1.4 million hours a year patrolling our beaches, pools and coastlines. Together surf lifesavers and Australian Lifeguard Service (ALS) lifeguards rescue around 12,000 people, provide emergency care to 64,000 each year. (Source)

The USA Lifeguards announce their team for the 2015 International Surf Rescue Challenge

The United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) is sending a group of high-performing professional and junior lifeguards to the 2015 International Surf Rescue Challenge (ISRC). The national team and the youth team are each composed of eight males and eight females who will represent the U.S.

The 2015 International Surf Rescue Challenge will be held at Maroochydore Beach on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Participating countries include Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand, the USA and Japan. (Source)

USA Beach Tent

Come and enjoy the lifestyle, it is the start of Spring and the weather for the three days of competition is near perfect.

USA Team members

There were many many races over the three days. Lifeguards need to be fit, and they demonstrated throughout these three days just how fit they are.

Lifeguards have our greatest respect for the grand job that they do keeping our beaches safe.

What is the man in blue doing?  Is he shooting the losers in the back?

I have never seen a race like this before. The starting position is lying face down on the beach.

They are racing

The starter’s gun signals the start. The competitors jump up and race to the end of the course. The winner is the one who can be first to the flag and take hold of it.  Both male and female athletes showed their agility in this flag race.

Intense competition is good training for our heroes who keep the beaches safe
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Off into the waves

Getting ready for the big ocean swim

The winners race to the beach

Paddle Boat Race

Getting ready for the start

Racing

Race to the finish

We enjoyed all our International Teams

These types of intense competition are good training for our heroes who keep the beaches safe.  It is also good to strengthen international relationships.

Do you want to know who won the three days of competition?  OK!

1. Australia,  2. New Zealand,  3. USA,  4. Japan
   

Youth Teams: 1. Australia,  2. New Zealand,  3. USA

It is all fun whoever wins!  I think we had some home-ground advantage.

This beautiful beach that hosted the 2015 International Surf Rescue Challenge is in a group of beaches that we are privileged to call our backyard.

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