More than 3000 compete at Ocean Beach

More than 3000 competitors battled it out over three days at the NSW Opens Surf Life Saving Championships held at Ocean Beach-Umina from March 8 to 10.

Umina placed 18th overall in the Open competition while Ocean Beach placed 21st.

Umina's Christine Bishop won the 30-39 years champion lifesaving event while Kerry Armstrong-Smith placed first in the 40 years and over champion lifesaving event.

Jemma Smith won the Under-15 champion lifesaving event and Rachel Wood won the Under-15 surf race.

Claire Gaffney, Mollie Murphy, Jemma Smith and Rachel Wood placed fifth in the Under-15 surf team event and Rachel placed fifth in the under-15 ironwoman.

Jemma and Rachel placed fourth in the Under-15 female board rescue and Jemma won the Under-15 female board race.

Stephen Dixon and Paul Sharpe placed fourth in the open five person rescue and resuscitation event and Jack Dixon and James Rooke placed fourth and fifth respectively in the Under-19 mixed first aid event.

Maddison McLeod and Danica Williams placed sixth in the Under-15 mixed first aid event and Teigan Miller and Helen Krucler placed second and fourth respectively in the Under-17 female champion lifesaving event.

William Bishop placed fourth in the Under-15 champion lifesaving event and combined with Hayden Boyd, Maddison McLeod, Mollie Murphy, Jemma Smith, Jessica Thomas, Elise Thomson, Jack and Adam Waining, Emily Wardle, Danica Williams and Rachel Wood to place fourth in the Under-17 mixed march past.

Jack Dixon, Jessica Thomas, Jack Waining and Emily Wardle placed third In the Under-17 mixed patrol competition, Alannah Whyte placed fifth in the Under-19 2km beach run event and Richard Boylan placed fifth in the 40 years and over champion lifesaving event.

Ocean Beach's Katie Dixon and Shelley Smith placed second and third respectively in the 30-39 years champion lifesaving event and Jessica Moyes won the open female champion lifesaving event.

Jason Smith placed fifth in the Under-19 beach flags and Aaron Camp won the 30-39 years champion lifesaving event.

Aaron Camp, Mark Davis, Nigel Fitzgibbon, Jason Gauci and Zac Wilkins placed fourth in the open five person rescue and resuscitation event and Camp and Dixon placed third in the open mixed first aid event.

Davis and Richard Grimmond placed second and fourth respectively in the 40 years and over champion lifesaving event.

Camp, Davis, Dixon, Fitzgibbon, Grimmond and Smith won the open mixed patrol competition while Wade Hennell placed fourth in the Under-17 beach flags event and Matthew Calbert and Maddison Scutts placed fourth in the Under-17 mixed first aid event.

Jordan Smith and Calbert placed third and sixth respectively in the Under-17 champion lifesaving event with both joining Maddison Scutts and Gabby Tinson to place second in the Under-17 mixed patrol competition.

Jordan and Jason Smith placed fourth in the Under-19 Mixed first aid event.

After seeking feedback from both competitors and officials, organisers have decided to split out some events and run the program over several consecutive weekends instead of a 10-day block.

This will mean less clashing of events so athletes won't miss out on the opportunity to participate and will reduce the need for people to take time off work or school to compete.

The 2014 NSW Surf Life Saving Championships will be held back at Ocean Beach-Umina from February 28 to March 2 for the Age Championships and March 7 to 9 for the Open event.

The Masters competitors will have their own dedicated event to be held on the March 15 and 16.

Lifesaving events will be held on February 22 and 23.

Media Release, 8 Mar 2013

Donna Wishart, Surf Life Saving NSW