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Event: Over for 2010
Scores: Off
Webcast: Off
Congratulations to Burton Toyota Pro Winner Glenn Hall (Ireland) and winner of Newcastle Womens Pro Kirby Wright (Australia)
See you all in 2011 . . . |
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| LOCAL DATE | 09 Sep 2010 |
| LOCAL TIME | 04:10 pm |
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City pride on the line at inaugural Surfest Lifeguard Challenge
CITY pride and being first to claim a perpetual trophy will be on the line late Wednesday afternoon when professional lifeguards from the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie City Councils contest the inaugural Surfest Lifeguard Challenge.
But the biggest prize of all will result in the winning council having their flag flown at the losing Council's headquarters on Friday, March 12 for the entire day.
Newcastle City Council Lord Mayor John Tate says this a great opportunity to promote Newcastle in Lake Macquarie.
He believes it will be Lake Macquarie City Council that will be flying the flag of Newcastle City Council come Friday.
"To the best of my knowledge, Newcastle City Council has never flown Lake Macquarie Council's flag after being beaten in any type of challenge.
"I am confident that long-standing tradition will continue after the lifeguard challenge on Wednesday," Lord Mayor Tate said.
But Lake Macquarie City Council's Mayor Greg Piper is equally confident.
"In all modesty, we do have the best beaches, best facilities, best lifeguards - it almost seems an unfair contest.
"But if Newcastle are up for a challenge that will allow our flag to fly from their city hall, bring it on," Mayor Piper said.
Surfest organiser Warren Smith, himself a Newcastle City Council lifeguard since 1974, says while the co-operative environment of professional lifeguards is well known, “rivalry is always bubbling just below the surface.”
“It’s in the nature of professional lifeguards to try and be the best at what they do.
“There’s always a bit of friendly ribbing about who-once-was and who-now-is the fastest and fittest,” he said.
Mr Smith, whose broken leg will keep him from competing, says judges will have to watch contestants closely.
“It’s not unknown for some of these contestants to cheat to the best of their ability because they will fair-dinkum do anything to get a trophy,” Mr Smith said.
Nobbys Beach lifeguard Paul Bernard says the Newcastle City Council can rest assured that their flag will be flying at Speers Point come Friday.
"I was going to take the flag down there on Tuesday because we are going to be busy after Wednesday's contest working out how we will beat them even more convincingly next year," Mr Bernard laughed.
“Last month we came second to Sutherland at the Bondi Lifeguard Challenge and I reckon we can go one better.
“There will be a board race relay, a rescue relay, and a rescue board surfing contest where the lifeguards will have to surf their rescue boards,” Mr Bernard said.
The contest is a thank-you from the Burton Toyota Surfest to the men and women who keep the region’s beaches safe every day of the year.
In addition to the beach and water action, Newcastle Lord Mayor John Tate will launch Laps for Hope, a fundraising event for the Cancer Council which is based on the Relay for Life concept.
Newcastle City Council Lifeguards came up with the Laps for Hope idea that will see them swimming laps non-stop for the best part of five hours.
Laps for Hope will be held on Sunday 18 April and more details will be available at the launch.
The inaugural Surfest Lifeguard Challenge is scheduled for Wednesday, 10 March, at Merewether Beach.
What: The Inaugural Surfest Lifeguard Challenge
Where: Merewether Beach
When: Wednesday, 10 March, 5.45 pm
Who: NCC and LMCC Lifeguards and Lord Mayor John Tate launching Laps for Life
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