Cereal Wars 2.0: Heavyweight surf lifesaving clubs to form breakaway series

Some of the Gold Coast’s most high profile surf life saving clubs have banded together in revolt of Surf Life Saving Australia’s Nutri-Grain series, claiming the organisation has failed them and their sport.

SURF lifesaving has a new “Cereal Wars” as Australia’s biggest clubs forge ahead with plans to form a breakaway competition in a stunning revolt over changes to the summer program.

Gold Coast heavyweights Northcliffe, Kurrawa and Currumbin have joined Alexandra Headlands, Wanda and Newport to create the “Surf Sports Representative Committee”.

Officials from each of the clubs met yesterday on the Gold Coast and claim Surf Life Saving Australia has failed them and their sport by making drastic changes for this summer’s Nutri-Grain series.

The group was formed in response to SLSA’s introduction of the stand-alone Iron X series, the decision to incorporate the Coolangatta Gold into the Nutri-Grain Series, and the scrapping of the established Ocean6 format.

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Athletes in the Nutri-Grain Ironman and Ironwoman Series. Picture: Mark Wilson.

The six rebel clubs, who finished in the top eight of last year’s overall Ocean6 club pointscore, will instead stage three separate “Summer of Surf” (SOS) events to run concurrently with Rounds 2, 4 and 5 of the Nutri-Grain professional iron series.

SOS had previously run under the SLSA banner but after the partnership ended earlier this year the governing body chose to run the elite Nutri-Grain series itself.

SLSA also cut adrift the more traditional surf carnival events run under the Ocean6 format, such as the board, ski and surf races and beach events.

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Some surf clubs are against the changes. Picture: Mark Wilson.

Elite series athletes will have the opportunity to participate in both events, though the SOS competition will feature a range of individual, team and iron events with athletes ranging from the under-15 age group to opens.

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The breakaway format is reminiscent of the infamous “Cereal Wars” of the 1980s when Uncle Toby’s ran a televised iron series in direct competition to the established Kellogg’s competition.

“ (SLSA’s) belief, which we all believe to be flawed, was that the professional series of ironman and ironwoman racing was failing and on the verge of extinction,” Northcliffe president David Shields said.

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Shannon Eckstein previously said he believes the changes won’t make a huge difference. Pic Glenn Hampson

“Once word got out that SLSA were considering a race format that included Stand Up Paddle (SUP) and “Ninja Warrior” and Survivor” style stunts and obstacles as part of the series, the majority of the athletes involved immediately made their feelings known that this was not the direction they wanted to take.”

Shields said that the clubs particularly disputed the “gimmicks” SLSA had introduced as part of the stand-alone Iron X event slated for January 27.

He argued that stand up paddle boarding and beach-based obstacle courses were against the heart of surf lifesaving.

“We want to stick with the traditional events that we’ve had in place for more than 100 years,” he said.

“Our primary goal is that we provide the opportunity for our members to develop fitness and improve their ability to save lives.

“You don’t save lives pushing a tyre along a beach or stand up paddle boarding out into the surf.”

SLSA staged a meeting in March this year offering an opportunity for stakeholders to share their opinion on the proposed format.

Shields said many took the opportunity to voice their concerns but SLSA instead elected to push ahead with the changes.

“I have no faith in Surf Life Saving Australia and they way they manage their responsibilities,” he said.

A SLSA spokeswoman told the Bulletin that they were aware of the athletes’ and committee’s beliefs but felt they had to act to reinvigorate the sport.

“We are well aware of their thoughts and opinions,” she said.

“We knew not everyone was going to like it.

“We have a commitment to the future of surf life saving as well and were not trying to destroy the traditional format.”