Australian surf life saving team for world championships on Gold Coast, every athlete and club

There's speedsters, sisters and rising guns but this team is minus multiple superstar names but the one Australian surf life saving believes will star at the world championships later this year.

There’s an “electric’’ rising star, speedsters and sisters ready to suit up for Australia at the world life saving titles as the sport continues it push for Brisbane 2032.

But what there is not are a number of the superstars of the sport.

Australian selectors have named the senior and youth teams for the world championships later this year on the Gold Coast with Australia’s most successful athletes this season, Lana Rogers, one of the four iron athletes and all but seven in the team hailing from the host state.

But missing will be some of the sports big names with the likes of Ali Day, Georgia Miller and potential Paris Olympic swimmer Lani Pallister opting to not nominate for the worlds team.

In the case of Miller, a triple Australian ironman champion and multiple Nutri-Grain series winner, she will be in Paris as a supporter of kayaking fiance Riley Fitzsimmons and also planning their October wedding while others will be using the time to prepare for the Coolangatta Gold.

Georgia Miller and Ali Day won’t be racing\ for Australia at the worlds. Picture: SLSA

The worlds are also being used to showcase the racing international life saving officials hope will help earn the sport a spot at the Brisbane 2024 Olympic Games.

“There’s just a lot on,’’ said Miller, who will likely compete in the clubs competition but not in Australian colours.

Rogers, who thwarted Miller’s attempt for a record third iron crown with her third iron victory at Aussies, will be joined by a pair of sisters with Olympic aspirations, a multiple gold medal winner from the 2024 Aussies, a rising star from Redhead in NSW and a versatile young gun with speed to burn.

Lana Rogers on her way to victory in the iron race at the 2024 Aussies on the Sunshine Coast. Picture: SLSA

Rogers won the Nutri-Grain series, Coolangatta Gold and then the Australian iron crown on Sunday for a sweep of major events across the season.

She is joined in the team by 2023 iron champion Naomi Scott, who won the ski and surf race double, at Aussies for Northcliffe and finished fifth in the ironwoman.

Fellow Northcliffe athletes Zach Morris and Corey Fletcher are the male iron athletes.

New Australian coach Zayne Hamill said selectors were looking for versatility from athletes and all four fit the bill.

He rates Morris, who won the board race at Aussies and was 12th in the iron, as one of the fastest men in surf life saving and “electric across all disciplines”.

Australia's team for the worlds has speed and talent to burn.

“His and Corey’s strengths will fit our team,” Hamill said.

Outstanding Redhead U19 athlete Lani Waller won the U19 surf and board titles at Aussies and finished fifth in the iron race won by her Australian teammate and talented kayaker Jasmine Rayward.

Rayward’s sister Bianca, an U17 competitor, is also in the youth team along with Piper Asquith, Jemma Holt from Mordialloc and the lone Victorian, Western Australian sprinter Amelia Rowe, Ethan Callaghan, Henry Simpson, Riley Brennan, Bulli’s Brayden Woodford, Kai Gilbert and North Cronulla speedster Kobe Sorensen.

d is a great mix of youth and experience which is exciting. When you have young people that maybe haven’t been in an Australian team before, they get the chance to get a taste of it and step up to the occasion. Then you have some of the older heads that bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to it and they can be great leaders.

“New Zealand are our traditional main rivals across the Tasman,’’ Hamill said.

“Internationally the sport is growing and it’s great at past world championships to see top competitors from Europe and Asia as well.’’

Bianca Rayward at the Aussies

Jasmine Rayward is a young star. Picture: SLSA

The beach athletes are Brittany Ingr from Kurrawa, who won U19 female sprints, and Jason Gough.

Gough, from Northcliffe, finished second to Japanese competitor Shogo Horie in the beach flags and made it into the semi-final of the beach sprint at Aussies.

“We are pitching the Olympics and have the world in our backyard so the onus is on us stepping up,’’ Hamill said.

“Taking the victory in this is one of our main objectives.

Check out the team in full below

AUSTRALIAN TEAM FOR WORLD LIFE SAVING TITLES ON GOLD COAST

Open Female: Naomi Scott - Northcliffe SLSC, Lana Rogers - Northcliffe SLSC, Chelsea Jones Currumbin SLSC/Engadine Lifesaving Club, Mariah Jones - Tweed Heads Coolangatta SLSC/Sunshine Coast Grammar Pool Lifesaving Club, Rachel Eddy, Britney Ingr, Kurrawa.

RESERVES: Cyra Bender (Northcliffe), Tiarnee Massie (Maroochydore),

Open Male: Zach Morris - Northcliffe SLSC, Corey Fletcher - Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park SLSC, Jake Smith - Trigg Island SLSC/West Life Saving Club, Harrison Hynes - Trigg Island SLSC/West Life Saving Club, James Koch - Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park SLSC,

Jason Gough - Northcliffe SLSC.

RESERVES: Callum Brennan (Currumbin/Sunshine Coast Grammar Pool Lifesaving Club), Cooper Williams (Alexandra Headland)

National Open Coach: Zayne Hamill

Youth Female: Jasmine Rayward - Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park SLSC, Lani Waller - Redhead SLSC, Bianca Rayward - Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park SLSC, Piper Asquith - Northcliffe SLSC, Jemma Holt - Mordialloc Lifesaving Club.

RESERVES: Olivia Clues (Newport), Kaitlin Rees (Swansea-Belmont SLSC)

Youth Male: Ethan Callaghan - Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park SLSC, Henry Simpson - Alexandra Headland/Sunshine Coast Grammar Pool Lifesaving Club, Riley Brennan - Currumbin SLSC/Sunshine Coast Grammar Pool Lifesaving Club. Brayden Woodford - Bulli SLSC/Engadine Lifesaving Club, Kai Gilbert - Northcliffe SLSC, Kobe Sorensen - North Cronulla SLSC.

RESERVES: Taj Andrews (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park SLSC), Kobi Holden (Currumbin SLSC & Elliott Heads SLSC)

National Youth Coach: Craig Holden

Originally published as Australian surf life saving team for world championships on Gold Coast, every athlete and club