Gold Coast footwear company saves Surfers Paradise ‘unsung heroes’

A Gold Coast company is saving the soles – literally – of the volunteer surf lifesavers patrolling the city’s busiest tourist beach this summer.

A GOLD Coast company is saving the soles – literally – of the volunteer surf lifesavers patrolling the city’s busiest tourist beach this summer.

To recognise the efforts of Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club’s 160 volunteers – saving lives since 1925 – Vionic Beach Australia has donated 160 pairs of flip flops to them.

Nutri-Grain Ironman athlete Max Beattie, 27, said throughout a 12-hour shift on one of Australia’s busiest beaches you tend to “walk a little funny” without supportive footwear.

“To have comfortable footwear, while on the beach, is massive,” he told the Bulletin.

“No one wants to wear joggers or have sore feet on the beach this summer.”

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Ironman athlete Max Beattie at Surfers Paradise beach showing off the new Vionic Beach thongs volunteer lifesavers will be wearing this summer. Picture: Jerad Williams

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Global Footcare managing director Jeff Coombridge, whose firm is behind the Vionic Beach thongs said they were designed with cutting edge technology to save soles.

“The efforts of our volunteer lifeguards largely go unrecognised,” Mr Coombridge said.

“They sacrifice their time and sometimes their lives to keep beaches safe.

“Supporting the soles of these unsung heroes is the least we could do to show our appreciation for what they do.”