Surf Life Saving sport showcases the skills and physical abilities required to save a life.
Surf Life Saving sport began and continues to be a way for our lifesavers to showcase the skills and physical abilities required to save a life. View the SLSA National Sports Calendar to see the allocation of SLSA National Events from 2018–2020.
Member Event
The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships is an annual event where members from Australia’s 313 Surf Clubs come together to compete in more than 400 beach and ocean events. It is the largest event of its kind in the world. The 2019 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships will be will be hosted by Broadbeach SLSC and North Burleigh SLSC from 30 March 2019 to 7 April 2019.
Public Event
An opportunity for the general public to be a part of the biggest surf lifesaving competition in the world. The 2km open water swim is run on the first Sunday of the annual Australian Surf Life Saving Championships. The 2019 Aussie Ocean Swim will be held at Burleigh Heads Beach, QLD, on 31 March 2019.
Member Event
An opportunity for the best IRB crews from across the country to compete against each other over one action-packed weekend promoting the skills required to complete a successful IRB rescue. The 2018 Championships will be held at Kingscliff Beach, NSW from 12-14 July 2019.
Member Event
One of the key selection events for our national lifesaving teams. It is also an opportunity for our lifesavers to showcase the skills that keep them rescue ready for the start of patrol season. The 2018 Championships will be held at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, Southport, QLD from 9-11 August 2019.
Public Event
One of the most challenging endurance races in surf sports. What began as the central theme for a motion picture 30 years ago, has now commanded a place on Australia’s annual sports calendar. The 2019 Coolangatta Gold will be held at Coolangatta Beach, QLD, from 12-13 October 2019.
Member Event
The Interstate Championships give 180 of Australia’s best surf athletes an opportunity to represent their State and showcase their lifesaving skills in an elite lifesaving sports competition. Held over one day of competition, this State vs. State battle is contested on the beach and in the ocean.
Public Event
Taking place over six rounds, the Ocean6 Series is designed to bring the action and excitement of surf sports into the modern age. Ocean6 combines the skills of an Olympic swimmer, with a world class track and field athlete and an ocean-faring ski and board paddler into one high-octane competition.
One of the key priority projects to be highlighted under the Sport and Active Recreation Review 2015, was a review of SLSA policies to simplify access to surf sport competition.
Policy 5.04–Competition Eligibility stipulates proficiency and patrol hour requirements for all members wishing to be eligible to compete at SLSA Championship events.
In October 2016, the SLSA Board approved changes to Policy 5.04 to enable Clubs the ability to recognise a member’s contribution to their club and community beyond patrol hours alone. While eligibility for competition will still require a minimum number of patrol hours, clubs have the capacity to formally recognise other service as a component of the eligibility criteria. Examples can include:
For more information on these changes please click here
Click here to view a summary of the Sport Review
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