New Zealand IRB Team Named For Lifesaving World Championships 2024

Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) has named the following New Zealand Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) ‘Black Props’ Team for the Lifesaving World Championships 2024, which will be held on the Gold Coast, Australia from 20 August to 8 September.  The team is proudly sponsored by Sharkskin.

*Represents Lifesaving World Championships Black Props debut

Women’s Crew

Taylor Edwards – Driver

Abigail Chapman – Crew *

Bella Perham – Patient 1 *

Holly Atkinson – Patient 2 *

Men’s Crew:

Shane Edwards – Driver

Mark Edwards – Crew

Hogan Shrimpton – Patient 1

Alexander de Lautour – Patient 2 *

Support Team:

Jaron Mumby – Campaign Lead

Scott Wheeler – Assistant Coach

Luke Smith – Team Manager * 

The Lifesaving World Championships is the world’s biggest international lifesaving sport competition.

Held every two years, this year the event is being held in Queensland, Australia and will run for three weeks from 20 August to 8 September 2024.

During this time, up to 7,000 athletes, including Olympic and World Champions, from youth to masters, will be competing for the title of ‘World’s Best’.

Tanya Hamilton, SLSNZ High Performance Sport Manager, said, “The IRB crews missed out on the opportunity to race at the Lifesaving World Championships in Italy in 2022 due to Covid.  New Zealand won the World Championships in 2018.  So, they’ve been waiting six years for the opportunity to defend their title. We have a very strong Black Props team for 2024 with half of the team still reigning World Champions.”

Surf Lifeguards from Port Waikato’s Sunset Beach Lifeguard Service make up the men’s and women’s eight strong team.  They won the much sought-after title of Top Club at New Zealand’s largest IRB competition earlier this year.

Hamilton said, “Sunset Beach has a strong history of IRB racing and are extremely supportive of their IRB crews. As such, the club currently has an incredible group of athletes who are continuing this tradition, and who are supported to train and prepare for IRB racing under international rules on top of their normal club training, New Zealand racing, and patrolling commitments.  At the 2024 bp Surf Rescue New Zealand Championships, their Open Crews dominated, winning seven out of the eight titles, despite some tight racing from crews around New Zealand.”

The Black Props will be competing on 4 September at Kurrawa Beach, Broadbeach.  Events include Rescue Tube, Mass Rescue, and Teams Rescue, where teams race to be the first back to shore.  While IRB racing is often dubbed the ‘motor sports of surf lifesaving’, at its core, the sport is about simulating rescue situations.

Hamilton added, “IRB racing is not only an incredibly exciting sport to participate in and watch, but it’s also a great way for surf lifeguards to sharpen their skills.  Every summer, IRBs play a crucial role in rescues, demanding precision and speed to navigate the surf safely.  Competitions are an important way for surf lifeguards to enhance their abilities so when the time comes, they’re ready to respond fast and effectively to those in need.”

The next Black Props training camp will be held in Auckland from 9 to 11 August.

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