This weekend 350 surf lifesavers will hit One Mile Beach, Cape Hawke SLSC on the state’s lower north coast for the 2019 Sharkskin NSW Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) Championships.


This weekend 350 surf lifesavers will hit One Mile Beach, Cape Hawke SLSC on the state’s lower north coast for the 2019 Sharkskin NSW Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) Championships.



The IRB is a vital part of beach patrols with the ability to move in and out of the waves with speed and precision. IRB racing first began in 1981 to help improve the competency and response time of drivers and crewmen in rescues.



Twenty-one clubs will compete in 121 races across five male and female divisions. The club with the highest point score will be the 2019 State Champions.  



This year’s winning club will take home the perpetual Sharkskin NSW trophy and a Mercury two-stroke engine. However if the same club (Kiama Downs SLSC) who won the 2019 Premiership also take out the Championship, the engine will be awarded to the second place getter.



After four rounds of Premiership competition already under their belt this season, the best IRB clubs in NSW will be ready to start with a fresh slate this weekend.



“State Champs is a fantastic event each year,” said SLSNSW Surf Sports Manager Rob Pidgeon. “It’s the culmination of the IRB racing season and highlights the abilities of clubs to field strong rescue and race teams. It’s a strong indicator for the state’s success at the national IRB Championships coming up in July.



“Holding the State Championships at Cape Hawke SLSC is a great opportunity for the club and local community to host teams from across the state. It also gives our members the chance to travel to regional NSW to compete.”



The Kiama Downs SLSC team will travel more than five hours north to defend their title. The dominant south coast team took out the 2019 Sharkskin NSW IRB Premiership series, which concluded at Caves Beach on 16 June.



Team Manager Steve Strong has said the team is firing ahead of the weekend.



“We’ve had a couple of sessions on the water since the Premiership and have ironed out a couple of little issues,” said Strong. “Our club has a rich history in IRB racing and with recent success we’ve received a lot of support from the club and the wider community who have been sharing our success this season.



“It would be great to defend our title this weekend,” Strong said. “We have a team of 21 competitors fielding crews in almost every race except the Rookies division, so we have no excuses.”



Kiama Downs holds eight Championship titles while Caves Beach has dominated the Championship with 11 titles since the first event in 1981.



Heats will run through Saturday with finals on Sunday morning.



Race formats in the 2019 Sharkskin NSW State Championships include;




  • IRB Rescue

  • IRB Mass Rescue

  • IRB Teams Rescue

  • IRB Rescue Tube

  • IRB Relay



Male and Female Divisions:




  • Rookie(first year driving/over 18 years old)

  • Under 23

  • 35+

  • 45+

  • Open



Competing Clubs



Avalon Beach SLSC, Bondi Surf Bathers, Coogee SLSC, Forster SLSC, Helensburgh-Stanwell Park SLSC, Kiama Downs SLSC, Maroubra SLSC, North Avoca SLSC, North Cronulla SLSC, Newcastle SLSC, Nobbys SLSC, Newport SLSC, Ocean Beach SLSC, Queenscliff SLSC, South Maroubra SLSC, Stockton SLSC, Terrigal SLSC, Thirroul SLSC, Umina Beach SLSC, Woonona SLSC, Caves Beach SLSC.



*2 November 2019 also marks the 50th anniversary since IRBs were introduced to Surf Life Saving.


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