NZ Surf Life Saving Team aim to take World title from Aussie

Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) today announced the New Zealand team aiming to take the world title from Australia at the Lifesaving World Championships in November.

Earlier today SLSNZ Chairman Michael Bassett-Foss announced the team of 12 athletes, which includes four 2012 Olympians.  He acknowledged the support from High Performance Sport New Zealand during the two year build up to the World Championships.

"The event takes place in November but really it's a two year campaign which has resulted in a team that we feel is our strongest yet." He added.

New Zealand team Coach, Scott Bartlett is looking forward to taking on the Australians and the rest of the world. "We have a team here that has the experience, talent and an absolute determination to win."

New Zealand has won the event once in 1998. Over the last three biannual events New Zealand has continued to close the gap with the world champion Australian team, losing by a heart breaking margin two years ago.

"The combination of experience, new talent and having four Olympians, is going to give us the edge this time," says Bartlett

The Lifesaving World Championships are held every two years and attract competitors from over 40 nations.

Rescue 2012 will be held in Adelaide, South Australia, from November 7-18 and will include five separate competitions - World National Team Championships, World Interclub Championships, World Masters Championships, World Surf Boat Championships, and World Inflatable Rescue Boat Championships.

Athletes can compete in ten separate disciplines - swimming, simulated emergency rescue, Ironman / Ironwoman, surf-ski, board, beach sprints, beach flags, surf boats and IRB.

New Zealand Team

Surf Life Saving New Zealand has also named a team to compete in the inaugural Under 20 World Championships to be held at Rescue 2012.

New Zealand Under 20 Team

For more information go to: The SLSNZ Rescue 2012 page or visit the Rescue 2012 website.

Partners: High Performance Sport NZ, State, Under Armour, Quiksilver, Togz, Sonic, Dirty Man, Jelly Belly