AusLeisure

Surf Life Saving Australia will mark a major historical milestone by building for the future at the 100th anniversary celebration of the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.

In a significant development for surf sports in Australia, the inaugural 2.5 kilometre ‘Aussie Ocean Swim’ will be contested from Tweed Heads and Coolangatta Surf Life Saving Club to North Kirra on Sunday 12th April.

Entries have opened for this landmark event on the ocean swim calendar, with up to 2000 competitors expected to participate and be a part of the unique ‘The Aussies’ experience. Swimmers of all levels of ability are encouraged to register.

Surf Life Saving Australia National Sport Manager Nathan Hight explained “this is a huge occasion for Surf Life Saving Australia.

“The Aussies are 100 years old and we are celebrating that in style. We’re doing something we’ve never done before and inviting non-members to be a part of The Aussies festival.

“It is new ground and we are really excited about opening our doors to the public for this event.

“Putting an ocean swim on the program just seems like a natural fit for The Aussies.

“It has a strong alignment with our core values and gives recreational ocean swimmers who aren’t Surf Life Saving members a chance to be aligned with our iconic brand.

“Ask any of the competitors who participate at The Aussies and they will tell you that there is no surf sports event that can replicate the finish line experience you get there.

“Everyone who takes part in The Aussie Ocean Swim will have that opportunity to experience what the greats like Hendy, Mercer, Eckstein, Pluimers and Gilbert have had, which is something they can’t get anywhere else.”

The Aussie Ocean Swim has been organised in conjunction with the Australian Open Water swimming team with a view to providing the country’s elite with a key competitive event as part of its preparation for the Rio Olympic Games. It will also serve as a talent spotting opportunity for future campaigns.

National Open Water Coach Ron McKeon adds “this event helps re-establish the great partnership between swimming and Surf Life Saving and we can really leverage a lot of things from that, such as talent transfer and professional development across the codes.

“Surf Life Saving is a terrific nursery for great athletes and there is opportunity for them to talent transfer across to swimming.

“The event itself is going to highlight the talent that is within Surf Life Saving and that’s something we want to take full advantage of moving forward to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.”

The Aussie Ocean Swim will be a non-championship event that sits alongside The Aussies. It has been designed as a long-term venture that will move annually to coincide with the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.

The Aussies 2015 will be held at North Kirra from 11th to 19th April with this year’s event marking 100 years since The Aussies were first held on Bondi Beach in 1915.

Image courtesy Mark Tipple, www.marktipple.com

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