Gold Coast’s ‘Shello’ is Australian lifeguard of the year

CRAIG Shelton has been a professional lifeguard for 25 years, performed more than 2000 rescues and has been named the Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguard of the Year.

Lifeguard of the Year Craig Shelton. Pic Tim Marsden

CRAIG Shelton has been a professional lifeguard for 25 years, performed more than 2000 rescues and has been named the Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguard of the Year.

He was nominated for the award by chief lifeguard Warren Young ahead of the last week’s national conference in Coffs Harbour.

“When I wrote his nomination I thought to myself, ‘Shello’s going to be hard to beat’,” Mr Young said.

Mr Shelton, or “Shello” to mates, was nominated on the back of a lifetime of experience and cool head in emergency situations — demonstrated when he worked seamlessly with two younger lifeguards to resuscitate a man pulled unconscious from water at The Spit in March.

He has also overcome two massive heart attacks, with support from Council and friends.

But the 51-year old said he would rather talk about his office, the beaches, which he knows like the back of his hand.

“Up at The Spit it can get really busy — we can have over 50 people between the flags and spear fishers in trouble at the sand pumping jetty and guys coming off jetskis,” Mr Shelton said.

“Not to mention learn to surf classes getting stuck in rips,” Mr Shelton said.

Mr Shelton beat out the Bondi lifeguards, who have their own television show and were recently nominated for a Logie.

“The Bondi lifeguards missed out on a Logie as well as Lifeguard of the Year ... but they said my acceptance speech sounded like I had won an Academy Award,” Mr Shelton said.

“I guess that’s how much the award means to me,” he said.