Three potential new world records were set at the 2024 NSW Pool Lifesaving Championships, held over the weekend of 14-16 June, with Manly LSC’s Ronnie Dalsgaard and Shelly Beach SLSC’s Dan Kingsley setting sensational times in some key events.
Pending verification from the International Life Saving Federation, Ronnie and Dan will write their names into the history books after special showings over the course of the Championships, held at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre in Homebush.
Ronnie – already a world record holder in the 35-39 100m Manikin Tow with Fins after setting a blistering time of 55.01 in late 2018 – managed to shave nearly a full second off the previous record in posting a 56.18 in the next age bracket up of the same event, the 40-44 Male category.
He would later blow the existing 40-44 100m Manikin Carry with Fins literally and figuratively out of the water, ending Frenchman, Jean-Baptiste Gimie’s seven-year reign as the world’s quickest with a time more than 1.5 seconds faster (50.88).
For Dan, who raced in both events as part of a broader 40-49 Male race, he managed to break the 45-49 100m Manikin Tow with Fins world record with his cracking time of 56.62 more than a half second quicker than the previous best.
The times highlighted three excellent days of racing from more than 200 eager competitors, in the second year of a joint delivery of the Championships between Surf Life Saving NSW and Royal Life Saving.
Among the best moments away from the record-breaking swims included a dramatic .04 second split between Cronulla SLSC clubmates, Eve de Carle and Ella Greene in the U11 Women 50m Brick Carry, and Brayden Woodford of Bulli SLSC’s ding dong battle with Cooks Hill SLSC’s Charlie Walker across their 10 events together.
Woodford grabbed each of the individual wins in the U19 Male category, however it was Charlie and his brother, Alex Walker, alongside their clubmates Stephen Carcary, Yan Tung Li, and Oi Ki Ching, who picked up wins over Woodford-led teams in the Mixed events.
Wednesday 19 June 2024