The first Surf Life Saving NSW event for the 2020/21 season kicks off this Saturday at Swansea Belmont SLSC with the Envirobank Super Team Series. The three rounds of teams-based beach and surf racing will take place across the Hunter, Illawarra and Central Coast beaches.
The draft attracted over 200 beach and water athletes who nominated to be part of the series. NSW selectors shortlisted 106 athletes from as far north as Cudgen Headland SLSC and Wollongong City SLSC in the south who were drafted by six team captains through a virtual NBA-style drafting process.
Each team consists of nine male and nine female competitors from the Under 17s, Under 19s and Open divisions but all racing will be Open racing regardless of age.
“We’re looking forward to some exciting racing with this new format,” said NSW coach Jim Walker.
Competitors, Coaches and Officials have been passionate about getting a series up and running as COVID-19 restrictions have eased.
“It was disappointing having the season cut short because our athletes train almost as hard as the Olympic athletes right throughout the year, but now we’re into a new year and a new series and this series is going to be sensational.”
Nutri-Grain Ironman Daniel Collins (Redhead SLSC) is captain of Team Red and will have the local knowledge for the first event.
“The live drafting was really fun but pretty stressful,” said Collins. “It was unlike anything we’ve ever done in the sport but I’ve got a solid team out of it with a few NSW and Aussie champions and really solid younger athletes too. I just can’t wait to get out there,” he said.
Walker said there’s no better way to start the season than in a mixed teams environment. “We’re looking forward to some exciting racing. Blacksmiths Beach can throw up a bit of a wave and can be tricky conditions but we’re all ready to get out there.”
The first race starts at 10am.
TEAM CAPTAINS
Yellow: Lizzie Welborn (Newport)
Green: Jemma Smith (Newport)
Blue: Britney Pierce (Wanda)
Black: Jackson Borg (Newport)
White: Jay Furniss (Cronulla)
Red: Daniel Collins (Redhead)
EVENT PROGRAM
- 2km Beach Run
- Surf Race
- Board Race
- Surf Ski Race
- Beach Sprint
- Ironman & Ironwoman
- 2 x 1km Mixed Relay
- Mixed Surf Teams
- Mixed Board Relay
- Beach Relay Mixed
- Mixed Board Rescue Relay
- Beach Flags
- Taplin Relay
- Taplin Relay Mixed
EVENT INFORMATION
Round 1: 17 October at Swansea Belmont SLSC (Hunter)
Round 2: 7 November at Bulli SLSC (Illawarra)
Round 3: 5 December at Umina SLSC (Central Coast)
*SLSNSW is committed to comply with the NSW Government Health restrictions in place at the time of the event. SLSNSW reserves the right cancel or modify a round or the entire Series based on current restrictions.
Friday 16 October 2020