Oceans’ event celebrates 20th anniversary

Photos: Rod Salt

Surf Life Saving New Zealand is marking the 20^th year of a junior sporting competition that celebrates Surf Lifeguards in the making.

Oceans’ began in 2000 and has grown to become the organisation’s largest Surf Life Saving event for junior club members, typically attracting anywhere from 800 to 1000 competitors each year.

The event aims to teach kids important life saving and beach safety skills through sport with the goal of them all becoming qualified surf lifeguards. It is “sport with a purpose”.

The participants, aged 10 to 14, are all lifeguards in training. They are working up the fitness and skills to be a fully qualified Surf Lifeguard at 14 years old. Oceans’ brings them all together in a fun, safe and competitive environment.

Event name: Oceans’ 20

Where: Mount Maunganui - Main Beach

When: Thursday, 27 February to Sunday, 1 March 2020

Who:

• 823 competitors
  • 440 girls
  • 383 boys
• 46 of 74 NZ Surf Life Saving Clubs taking part + 1 Australian club.

Age groups:

• U11
• U12
• U13
• U14

Individual events:

• Sprint
• Flags
• Run Swim Run
• Surf Race
• Diamond Race (swim, board and run)
• Board Race

Team events:

• Beach Relay
• 2km Beach Relay
• Board Relay
• Grand Cameron Relay (6 person run, swim, board paddle event)
• Tube Rescue and Board Rescue

 Competing clubs:

• Bethells Beach SLSP
• Brighton SLSC
• East End SLSC
• Fitzroy SLSC
• Foxton SLSC
• Kawana Waters SLSC, Queensland, Australia
• Lyall Bay SLSC
• Mairangi Bay SLSC
• Maranui SLSC
• Midway SLSC
• Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service
• Muriwai VLS
• New Brighton SLSC
• New Plymouth Old Boys SLSC
• Ocean Beach Kiwi SLSC
• Omaha Beach SLSC
• Omanu SLSC
• Opunake SLSC
• Orewa SLSC
• Otaki SLSC
• Paekakariki Surf Lifeguards
• Papamoa SLSC
• Pauanui SLSC
• Piha SLSC
• Pukehina Surf Rescue
• Raglan SLSC
• Red Beach SLSC
• Ruakaka SLSP
• South Brighton SLSC
• Spencer Park SLSC
• St Clair SLSC
• St Kilda SLSC
• Sumner SLSC
• Taylors Mistake SLSC
• Titahi Bay SLSC
• Waihi Beach LS
• Waikanae SLSC
• Waikuku Beach SLSC
• Waimairi SLSC
• Waimarama SLSC
• Wainui SLSC
• Waipu Cove SLSC
• Westshore SLSC
• Whakatane SLSC
• Whangamata SLSC
• Whiritoa LS
• Worser Bay LSC

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For more information please contact:

Melanie Louden
Media and Communications Manager
Surf Life Saving New Zealand
021 757 433
melanie.louden@surflifesaving.org.nz