Last weekend, Royal Life Saving and Surf Life Saving NSW teamed up to host the 2024 NSW Pool Life Saving State Championships. The Championships were held at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, an Olympic-sized venue befitting the event’s high caliber of competition!
A total of 230 competitors, representing 27 Royal and Surf Life Saving Clubs across NSW entered this year’s Championships. These Championships offer a fantastic opportunity for the top Pool Lifesaving athletes in NSW, ranging in ages from as young as 10 to over 70 years old, to showcase their lifesaving techniques in a competitive setting. Over three days of competition, athletes could participate in 8 individual disciplines and 3 relay events, testing their speed in simulated lifesaving scenarios, incorporating obstacles to mimic waves and weighted orange-coloured manikins in place of real patients.
NSW Royal Life Saving athletes continued to demonstrate their impressive talent, with many athletes achieving their personal best times, and setting a number of new RLSNSW State Records. Special congratulations go to Brayden Woodford (pictured) from Engadine Lifesaving Club, who broke an outstanding five individual records in the U19 Men’s events.
A further special mention goes to Mack Elliott, also from Engadine Lifesaving Club, for setting a new National Record in the Mens U16 12.5m Line Throw Event, with an impressive time of 12.50 seconds. Congratulations Mack.
This year also saw three world records broken in the Masters age categories.
Ronnie Dalsgaard (pictured right) from Manly Surf Club set new world records in the Mens 40-44 100m Manikin Tow with Fins and the Mens 40-44 100m Manikin Carry Events.
Dan Kingsley (pictured left) from Shelly Beach Surf Club broke the world record in the Mens 45-49 100m Manikin Tow with Fins.
Following the success of the Inclusive Championships at previous NSW State and National Surf Life Saving competitions, five new Multi-Class events were introduced for athletes with disabilities. The athletes excelled in each of the five events, particularly the Line Throw Event, where all athletes successfully tossed their ropes the 8m distance to pull their patients back to the wall within the 45 second time limit. These events were a fantastic addition this year and hold promise for growth in future years.
Congratulations to all competitors and a massive thank you to the Clubs Representatives, Team Managers, officials, and of course friends and family that came along to support the competitors! If you or someone you know would be interested in joining a Royal Life Saving Club to compete in future State Championships, please contact hannahskuodas@royalnsw.com.au to find out more about the sport and how to get involved!
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