Sporting extravaganza provides perfect welcome for Six Surf Lifeguards

A nine day sporting extravaganza that began in Mount Maunganui last Saturday is mid-way through and has seen a feast of fierce international competition playing out on Main Beach. The Festival of Surf Sports which is part of Surf Life Saving’s 100 Year celebrations, will come to a spectacular end this weekend and may be even more significant as the Six Surf Lifeguards circumnavigating New Zealand could be set to reach Mt Maunganui on Saturday too – six days ahead of schedule.

“The Festival of Surf Sports is a great opportunity to recognise and honour the huge role that competitive sport has played in the growth and development of Surf Life Saving in New Zealand – and if our Six Surf Lifeguards who are completing the circumnavigation arrived during the festival, then that would be an incredibly fitting double celebration for our Centenary,” said Grant Florence, Chief Executive Surf Life Saving New Zealand.

Five countries and thirty-two provincial teams make up the Surf Life Saving Festival of Surf Sports - the biggest international Surf Life Saving event outside of the World Champs. It will end on Sunday with the glamour event of the New Zealand Surf Life Saving calendar, the Lion Foundation Surf League showcasing some of the best Surf Lifeguards in the world and will test their fitness, skills and competitive edge to the limit.

“Surf sports test a Surf Lifeguard’s skills and have kept our athletes in prime condition for over 100 years. They also help build team camaraderie and club spirit – factors that all Surf Lifeguards rely on when charging into the ocean to save lives,” continued Florence.

Over the past 100 years Surf Lifeguards have saved more than 50,000 lives on our nation’s beaches – and Surf Life Saving is celebrating the legacy of dedication and leadership, from the men and women who have served New Zealand beaches over the past century.

Surf Life Savings highly interactive exhibition titled ‘Between The Flags – 100 Years of Surf Life Saving’ is also on display showcasing an amazing display of interactive technology and contrasting historical photographs fitted out with state-of-the art equipment to highlight the changes to Surf Life Saving over the last 100 years.

State Insurance has provided the support to Surf Life Saving to enable the exhibition to move throughout the country and the exhibition contains an array of interactive exhibits including the popular IRB Rescue Challenge.

“This is a truly impressive display of our history and is proving extremely popular throughout the country. As part of our celebrations we want to share our 100 year history with the public and show how Surf Life Saving has evolved throughout the ages, and the feedback we are receiving is fantastic. We encourage locals and holiday makers alike to take a tour through one hundred years of our history.” said Florence.

‘Between the Flags’ is touring through major town centers around New Zealand until April 2011 and will be at Mt Maunganui until February 6th. It will visit over 14 locations in New Zealand before heading to Christchurch for the Surf Life Saving Centennial National Championships in March, and then moving to St Clair SLSC in Dunedin in April

ENDS

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