Athletes of all ages contest surf life saving championships

Over two action packed days, more than a thousand surf sport athletes from 26 clubs battled it out in the SunSmart WA Masters, Champion Lifesaver, Country and Little Nippers Surf Life Saving Championships at Sorrento Beach across the weekend.

Our masters’ athletes jump-started the action on Saturday morning and, with over 300 athletes representing 22 clubs from as far north as Geraldton and south as Esperance, the competition was fierce and challenging with many athletes finished the day with multiple titles to their name.

With only the surf boat events yet to be contested, Trigg Island is currently sitting in pole position on 536 points, with reigning champs North Cottesloe only 46 points off the lead in 2nd (490) and Sorrento in third on 290 points.

Known for their strength in the surf boat arena, and with those events set to play out this Saturday at Scarborough Beach immediately following the country surf boat finals, North Cottesloe will well and truly be chasing hard to get the win.

Progressive point score for the SunSmart WA Masters Surf Life Saving Championships can be found here

The intense competition continued through to the Champion Lifesaver events where competitors proved their competence across a breadth of practical and theoretical skills necessary to be an effective lifesaver. The championship included performing a practical resuscitation as well as competing in a beach sprint, surf, board and rescue tube race.

Congratulations to Max Anderson-Loake (City of Perth SLSC) and Lauren Joliffe (Trigg IslandSLSC) who claimed the title of 2019 Champion Lifesaver.

A special mention to youth competitors Paige Stegmann (City of Bunbury), who took the  U/15 female Champion Lifesaver title, and Neve Macleod, from Mullaloo SLSC, who was named U/17 female Champion Lifesaver.

Demonstrating the broad skill set required to take out this title, not only are our winners competent in the theoretical and practical side of what it takes to be a surf lifesaver, they are also accomplished athletes with both Max and Neve members of 2019 Western Suns state teams.

Full results for Champion Lifesaver events can be found here.

Day two kicked off bright and early with nearly 400 eager U8 and U9 Little Nippers, hailing from 22 clubs throughout the state, ready to give it their all at the SunSmart WA Little Nippers Championships. The calm conditions provided the perfect environment for our youngest competitors, many for whom it was their first ever competition, to participate in some friendly rivalry.

Final point scores are not tallied for this championship, with the focus of the day being fun and participation however, Sorrento’s Trent Yates proved one to look out for winning both his U9 beach sprint and flags events, and taking a bronze in the male board race and cameron relay.

Trigg Island’s Paea Zaffino also proved fast across the sand, winning both her U8 beach sprint & flags events, as did Coogee Beach’s Austin Hall.

Full results for Little Nipper events here.

Further up the beach, having made the journey to Perth with friends and family, 350 competitors from 14 of our regional clubs were all set to contest the SunSmart WA Country Surf Life Saving Championships

City of Bunbury once again showed up in force hoping to clinch their 25th consecutive country championships title and, with standout performances from a number of their athletes across all age categories, they certainly looked up to the challenge.

In the female arena, Bunbury’s Courtney Smaniotto dominated the open water events taking individual gold in the board race, ironwoman and single ski; team gold in the board relay and double ski; and silver in the surf race and the mixed taplin relay.

Also hailing form Bunbury, the young Doddy siblings dominated with U13’s Joel taking gold in the beach flags, 1km run, board race, ironman and surf race; team gold in the board rescue; and silver in the beach sprint and mixed cameron relay. Following in her older brother’s footsteps, Olivia won the U11 surf race, board race, ironwoman and board rescue; and a team silver in the mixed cameron relay.

Secret Harbour sat neck and neck with Bunbury on the leader-board all day with open athlete Joshua Maurice a standout contributor to their points tally winning the open male board race, ironman, single ski, and surf race; then partnered with brother Samuel to take the double ski event, as well as contributing to their winning mixed taplin team.

Following on from an already successful season, which included selection in SLSWA’s Western Suns Youth Development Squad and participation in the south-west’s WA Surf League team, Binningup’s Serena Nandapi continues to prove herself a contender taking gold in both the open and U17 beach flags and sprints and will be looking to be competitive at this weekend’s WA championships at Scarborough Beach.

Special mention to Smiths Beach’s Isabella Bidesi, one of three Smiths Beach team members making the journey to Perth, who took out gold in the U11 beach flags and 1km beach run, and a silver in the beach sprint.

Other notable performances across the day included;

• Secret Harbour’s Jessica Tyrrell (U10) – individual gold in the beach flags, sprint, and surf race; and team gold in the mixed cameron relay
• Geraldton’s Callum Sojan (U10) – Individual gold in the ironman and surf race; and team gold in the U11 board rescue
• City of Bunbury’s Mitchell Tuckey (U11) – Individual gold in the board race, ironman, surf race; team silver in mixed cameron and board rescue
• Secret Harbour’s  Hannah Awang (U12) – Individual gold in the ironwoman, surf race, board race; team silver in mixed cameron relay
• Albany’s Ned Shepherd (U12) – Individual gold in board race, ironman and surf race; team gold in board rescue and mixed cameron relay
• City of Bunbury’s Rosie Banks (U13) – Individual gold in ironwoman and surf race; team gold in the board rescue; and individual silver in the board race
• Secret Harbour’s Romy Dullaghan (U13) – Individual gold in 1km beach run and beach sprint; team silver in the board rescue
• City of Bunbury’s Emma Stegman (U14) – Individual gold in the board race, ironwoman and surf race; bronze in the 2km beach run
• City of Bunbury’s James Kiely (U14) – Individual gold in the beach sprint, 2km beach run and beach flags
• City of Bunbury’s Tristan White (U14) – Individual gold in the board race, ironman and surf race
• City of Bunbury’s Kate Lockley (U15) – Individual gold in the 2km beach run, ironwoman, surf race; team gold in mixed board relay; individual bronze in the board race
• Albany’s Jacques Swarts (U15)– Individual gold in the beach flags, board race (tied w team mate Fergus Martin), ironman and surf race; team gold in youth mixed cameron relay
• Secret Harbour’s Caitlin Hide (U17) – Individual gold in the ironwoman and board race; team gold in mixed taplin and board relay; individual silver in the surf race; individual bronze in 2km beach run; and team bronze in the open beach relay team
• Busselton’s Lucy Hill (U17) – Individual gold in the single ski, 2km beach run; team gold in mixed board relay and mixed taplin relay; and individual silver in the board race
• Busselton’s Angus Johnston-Walker (U17) – Individual gold in the ironman and surf race; team gold in the mixed board relay and mixed taplin relay; individual silver in the board race
• Port Bouvard’s Daniel Comeros-Ochtman (U17) – Individual gold in the beach flags and beach sprint; silver in the 2km beach run
• Busselton’s Murray Lachlan (U17) – Individual gold in the board race; team gold in the mixed board relay, and mixed taplin relay; individual silver in the ironman, single ski and surf race; individual bronze in the beach flags and 2km beach run

With a 107-point lead on Secret Harbour heading into this Saturday’s surf boat finals (to be contested at Scarborough Beach as part of the SunSmart WA Surf Life Saving Championships program) it’s highly likely that we will see City of Bunbury retain their crown.

Progressive point score for the SunSmart WA Country Surf Life Saving Championships can be found here

Individual event results can be found here 

Final results from both the Masters and Country Championships will be announced this Saturday after the surf boat events.

We would like to extend a thank you to our surf sports and naming rights partner Healthway, promoting the SunSmart message, without whose support this championship series would not be possible.

Shout out to our host club Sorrento for doing an amazing job of hosting these events across the weekend, and thank you to all our officials who ensured everyone enjoyed the weekend of competition!