Interstates set to heat up the sand at Moana Beach this Friday

Surf Life Saving’s top athletes will take to sand and sea on Friday for the 2018 Interstate Championships, with defending champions Queensland Cyclones facing up against a star-studded New South Wales team.

Seven state teams representing New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, West Australia, Tasmania and new comers NSW country will compete in the one-day event held at South Australia’s Moana Beach.

Traditional powerhouse, Queensland Cyclones, are debuting a host of new faces this year under team captains Luke Cuff and Bonnie Hancock, and will train together for the first time on arrival in South Australia.

Coach Darren Mercer said the new team will work well together, despite holding the previous title, they are the underdogs coming into the event.

“Our best strategy will be to work together as a team and use everyone’s strengths to our best advantage.

“We had a lot of competitors unavailable due to injury and other commitments, so we need to work hard and I’m confident we will do that” said Mercer.

A strong team selection for NSW under team captain Mitch Trim will certainly prove to be a challenging line up and may very well see the Blues bring home this year’s title.

Head Coach Jim Walker said that team selection was informed by the skills and weaknesses that were highlighted in last year’s field.

“NSW have always had strong water athletes. We saw last year that the beach was an area we could pick up more points over QLD so this year we have strengthened our team selection with two beach athletes we think are well and truly up for it.

“Last week’s loss of Blake Drysdale was a big blow to the team selection, but we are confident that Jake Lynch will step up into the role, rounding out a team to bring us home the title.”

Joining Trim and Lynch in Adelaide are youth dynamos Jemma Smith and Lizzie Welborn who will step up into the open category for the event following strong performances across the Ocean 6 series this season.

“Jemma is just a good all-round competitor, with both her and Lizzie stepping up into the Opens this year, it really showcases the strength of their skills in competition and will present the best team for NSW” Walker said.

The South Australian team may shake up the competition with strong challengers donning the state colours including Lucinda Kelly (Draft Pick), Madison Spencer (Draft Pick) and Patrick Fordham.

While the Northern Territory will not send a team into this year’s competition, West Australia and Tasmania are joined by the new Country team for NSW with 12 athletes competing for the states regional areas including Jordan White and Brooke Cavanagh.

The 2018 Interstates Championships will take place at Moana Beach, South Australia on Friday January 19 and will be broadcast live across Surf Life Saving Australia’s website and social channels, commencing at 8:00am ACDT. The state vs state battle covers 46 races including iron racing, board, ski, taplin relays, rescue events, beach flags and beach sprints.

For further event information, please visit www.sls.com.au/interstates.

Team Allocation:

New South Wales

Anthea Warne, Brock Scrivener, Chloe Mannix Power, Daniel Collins, Grace Gurr, Hayden Copping, Hayden White, Isaac Smith, Jake Evans, Jake Lynch, Jamee Smith, Jemma Smith, Lara Moses, Laura Shorter, Lizzie Welborn, Max Brooks, Mitchell Trim (Capt), Naomi Scott, Ngaire Hadfield, Nicola Owen, Noah Havard, Rachel Wood, Sam Zustovich

Queensland

Amy Nurthen, Bay Wildin – Snedden, Bonnie Hancock, Bradley Hunt, Bree Masters, Brielle Cooper, Electra Outram, Jackson Collins, Jackson Maynard, James Lacy, Jett Kenny, Jordan Sergis, Jy Timperly, Karlee Nurthen, Kieran Gordon, Ky Kinsela, Lana Rogers, Lani Pallister, Luke Cuff, Mitchell Coombes, Rhys Burrows, Ruby Nolan, Taylor Stickler, Tiarnee Massie

Victoria

Ali Gannon, Billy Bowden, Campbell Bohan, Drew Green, Emily Carty, Grace Harris, Hanna Schmidt, Isabella Austin, Jane McMeel, Jesse Coulson, Josh Doherty, Kira Kinsey, Lachlan Robinson, Lucy Conquit, Madeleine Hurst, Matthew Gilling, Matthew Hardiman, Natalie Clucas, Nick Thomas, Samuel Hensen-Thompson, Saxon Beale, Seamus Spanner, Sophie Thomas, Tylah Shanahan

South Australia

Abbey Jones, Anneke Kidd, Ben Edmonds, Benjamin Zuill, Brittany Jessup, Callum Scrivens, Daniel Hogan, Ella Sheffield, Glenn Rypp, Helena Schwerdt, Jack Stevens, Joseph Semmens, Kate Curtis, Kayla Roe, Kian Bird, Kiara Bedford, Lucinda Kelly, Madison Spencer, Matthew Zuill, Nicholas Schulz, Patrick Fordham, Piper Cunningham, Sophie Zuill, Tom May

Western Australia

Ben Jones, Ceris Graham, Charlie Rigby, Dan Humble, Dominic Banks-Smith, Imogen Spencer, Isabella Walker, Jackson Symonds, Jacqueline Lord, Jade Mickle, Jesse Phillips, Kiera Albertsen, Macarah Mallis, Madeline Thomson, Matt Colliss, Max Anderson-Loake, Riley Walker, Ruby Warne, Soraya Lee, Sydney Rafferty, Tegan Maffescioni, Thomas Nolan, Tom Gallagher, Wes Gould

Tasmania

Andrea Smith, Ashya Rodman, Carla Papac, Connor Polden, Declan Saunders, Georgia Matthews, Grace Rosato, Jack Walton, Jackson Borg, Kane Symmons, Lily Bair, Maggie O’Leary, Mahli Borham, Miriam Boult, Ned Lennox, Oscar Gibson, Shaeli Rodman, Tallow Peart, Tyler Raspin, William Cleaver, Zia Mitchelmore

NSW Country

Angus MacPhail, Brooke Cavanagh, Claudia Crawford, Hayley Smith, Jayden Allen, Jayden Mandell, Jordan White, Josh Jones, Luke Chaffer, Maddie Bakker, Sarah Wilson, Steine Lofts