Goodwill Games

03/30/2001

Surf Lifesaving's Best Vie for Games Selection

This weekend's Australian Surf Life Saving Championships will be the last chance for the nation's top surf lifesavers to impress selectors for the 2001 Goodwill Games.

Surf Lifesaving promises to be one of the most exciting contests of the Goodwill Games, with all of the world's top surf lifesaving teams confirmed to compete.

Surf Life Saving Australia Chief Executive Officer Greg Nance urged competitors at the Australian Championships to put on their best performance to boost their chances of selection.

"The Australian Championships are the peak competition event in Australian surf lifesaving and competitors who do well at this event will increase their chance of Goodwill Games selection," Mr Nance said.

The Australian Championships are being held at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast, the same location for the 2001 Goodwill Games Surf Lifesaving competition on September 1 and 2.

One of Australia's surf lifesavers who is keen to do well this weekend and gain selection for the Goodwill Games is the Gold Coast's Karla Gilbert.

"It would mean a lot to me to win the national ironwoman title and would cap off what has been a great year for me," Ms Gilbert said.

"I've had a very consistent year and would love to be picked to represent Australia in the Goodwill Games, but in the surf there are many variables and anything can happen."

Australia, Canada, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and the United States have all confirmed they will send teams of their best surf lifesavers to battle it out in the Goodwill Games surf lifesaving competition. Each country's national selectors decide the members of their teams.

Each team, consisting of five men and four women, will compete in 12 individual events, mixed board rescue, beach sprint (m/w), surf race (m/w), surf board race (w), surf ski race (m), ironman/ironwoman, beach flags (m/w) and the lifesaver relay (swim, board, ski, run).

The Australian surf lifesaving team for the Goodwill Games will be announced in June. Selection for the team is also based on athletes' performances in interstate and other competitions.

Media information:
Lisa White, 2001 Goodwill Games Brisbane
Ph: 07 3233 2084 (direct) / Mobile: 0404 842 370

Marnie Peter, Surf Life Saving Australia
Ph: 0407 286 619

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