After two years of planning, sleepless nights, a lot of hard work and training for the organisers, administrators, coaches and competitors, Rescue 2012 – The World Life Saving Championships are off to a flying start in Adelaide.

The three venues – Glenelg and Christies beaches and the South Australia Swimming and Leisure Centre – have already had rave reviews after the first two days of competition which has attracted over 4000 competitors from 42 Nations and over the next week a total of 268 clubs.

Beachgoers will be given a valuable lesson in surf safety this Sunday (November 4) when surf lifesavers across Australia release fluoro dye into the surfs of 100 beaches to highlight rip current formations. The initiative is part of Surf Life Saving’s annual event, Rip Current Awareness Day (RCAD).  

The dye release, at the forefront of Surf Life Saving’s safety campaign RCAD, is aimed to give swimmers and onlookers an opportunity to develop a greater awareness of rip currents in the surf. 

SLSA Awards of Excellence will be held this Saturday night at The Westin Hotel, Martin Place, Sydney beginning at 6:30pm.

There will be over 250 in attendance at Surf Life Saving Australia’s prestigious SLSA Awards of Excellence to celebrate and acknowledge the contribution of our members and the movement during the 2011/12 season.

Applications are now open for the 2013 National Leadership College, one of the highlights of SLSA’s annual calendar. If you see yourself as an upcoming leader in surf lifesaving and you are aged 20-30, then this program is for you.

The college is held over 6 days and covers a broad range of leadership topics and how these can be applied to grass roots surf life saving. This is delivered through a combination of inspiring keynote speakers, interactive facilitator led workshops, challenging activities and an opportunity to network with other passionate people.

Surf Life Saving is calling for clubs across the country to get involved in the 2012 Rip Current Awareness Day. 

Rip currents remain the greatest hazard on Australian beaches.  They are attributed to over 50% of all surf zone drownings. Yet many people remain unaware of the danger that they pose.

Champion Ironman Shannon Eckstein has today officially withdrawn from Sunday’s Coolangatta Gold – but has vowed to add the iconic race to his competition schedule for 2013.

Eckstein has decided to concentrate on leading Australia to a successful defence of its World Lifesaving Championship crown and winning a fourth World Ironman title in Adelaide next month.

The five-time Australian champion said if the conditions had been in his favour he would definitely have started this year’s race.

Twelve months ago Ali Day vowed to contest the 2012 Coolangatta Gold and today the NSW born-Mooloolaba Surf Club-based Ironman has finally confirmed he will line up in Sunday’s iconic 45-kilometre race on the Gold Coast.

Last year the 22-year-old stood on the finish line at Kurrawa Beach on crutches as he recovered from stress fractures which had hampered his preparations for the 2012 season and watched Caine Eckstein win his fifth Gold.

A volunteer role has become available for qualified candidates to develop and deliver water safety programs in Vanuatu. The role is a volunteer assignment as part of AusAID's Australian Volunteers for International Development Program.

Airfares, living allowances, accommodation, insurance and other support is provided through the program.

An overview of the position has been provided below.

Pictured: The Silver winning pair - Rebecca Mann (l) Madison Davies (r) "Photo courtesy of Australian Canoeing"

Thirteen surf athletes are on their way home after representing Australia in sprint kayaking at the Olympic Hopes Regatta in Hungary over the weekend.

Former Australian swim star Josh Minogue and 2011 New Zealand Ironman champion Chris Moors have put themselves in the box seat to qualify for this year’s $400,000 Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman Series with eye-catching performances in perfect conditions at Tugun on the Gold Coast today.

While in the Ironwoman it was North Burleigh’s Alyce Bennett and the legendary Hayley Bateup sent a clear message to their younger rivals with strong performances to dominate the two women’s rounds.

SLSA is wishing the best of luck to the Under 21 Australian team travelling to Japan tonight to represent Australia at the Sanyo Bussan Cup.

Naomi Flood visited SLSA's headquarters this afternoon to spend some time with the team before they embarked on a journey overseas to represent their country.