Master lifesavers at Australian Surf Life Saving Championships on the Sunshine Coast
Veteran clubbies and former stars of the sport will collide for ultimate bragging rights as the masters division lights up the Aussies on the Sunshine Coast.
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Veteran clubbies and former stars of the sport will collide for ultimate bragging rights as the masters division lights up the Aussies on the Sunshine Coast.
The Australian Masters Surf Life Saving Championships will run across Sunday and Monday, with athletes from 30 years old through to 70 and above hitting surf and sand.
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Surf Life Saving Queensland sport manager Stuart Hogben said the fitness levels the competitors maintained was amazing.
"It's one of those ones where there is camaraderie not only from Queensland clubs but guys from interstate that'll come up and that's their chance once a year to catch up," he said.
"But, they still maintain that fitness and really do put on a good show.
"While they're all mates off field, you'll see a lot of rivalries on the beach when racing starts."
Here's some of Queensland's best masters lifesavers to watch out for across the two days.
WOMEN
Kristy Munroe
"She's from Alex Heads and is an ex-ironwoman and ex-Australian team member and captain," Hogben said.
Munroe was inducted into The Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2016 and has won state, national and world championship ironwoman crowns.
Jade Berg (nee Sutcliffe)
"She used to be in the ironwoman series and has made a bit of a return," Hogben said.
"She's hasn't raced for a few years but has been doing a fair bit of training.
"This is going to be her first masters so she'll be one to watch. She's representing Burleigh."
Bonnie Palmer (nee Hancock)
"Once again an ex-ironwoman that's running around not only individually but in teams events," Hogben said.
Kirsty Holmes
Kirsty Holmes became the first female to win ironwoman, board and ski events at state and national level.
She captured two Australian ironwoman crowns in 1996 and in 2000.
Nadine Canning
"A couple years go she was in the Nutri-Grain Series and she is now running around in the masters," Hogben said.
Alison Pegg
Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club athlete Alison Pegg was crowned the Surf Life Saving Queensland Masters Athlete of the Year.
"She always performs really well at Aussies," Hogben said.
"She has about eight or nine events over the two days."
Kathryn McKenzie
"She's actually competing for Bundaberg but is an ex-Alexandra Headland competitor," Hogben said.
"She used to do patrol competitions and champion lifesaver a lot. Swim and board are her main events."
MEN
Blair Day
Day is the brother of ironman Ali Day and did really well at states. He won the 30-34 ironman and surf race.
Grant Kenny
Kenny is a surf lifesaving legend and former Olympian. He most recently won the 55-59 surf ski race at states this year.
Ben and Greg Cox
Brothers from Palm Beach, competing in different age groups, but both did really well at state championships.
Ben won the 45-49 surfboard and surf race.
Greg won the 50-54 ironman.
Guy Andrews
"He probably hasn't done as much training as he has in the past but he's always, being an ex-ironman, still a (strong competitor)," Hogben said.
"He won the 45-49 iron at state champs."
Darren Mercer
Mercer is an ironman and surf lifesaving legend. He was an Australian champion and a Coolangatta Gold winner.
Nev De Mestre
Competes in the 75 plus age group for North Burleigh. He did well at states with ski and board his strengths.
Jeremy Cotter
An ex-ironman and fantastic ski paddler.
Peter Alison
From Kurrawa, in the 70-74 age group. He is strong across the board in the water events.
He won four gold medals and set a national record at the Australian SLS Pool Rescue Championships in 2018.
Zane Holmes
Holmes is a five-time Nutri-Grain Ironman Series winner, 2006 Coolangatta Gold champion, Australian ironman champion and world ironman champion.
Stephen Fry
"He's from Northcliffe and predominantly a swimmer so he's be good at surf race and that sort of thing," Hogben said.
Races in the 60-64 group. Came second in male surf race at states.
Originally published as Master lifesavers at Australian Surf Life Saving Championships on the Sunshine Coast
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