Meet Cairns’ fastest nippers as they swim 1600km to raise funds to reach the state championships
The Far North’s fastest nippers are swimming 1600km to help get the North Queensland Youth State Team to the state championships. Meet the team here.
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The Far North’s fastest nippers are swimming the distance of Cairns to Mooloolaba, 1600km in total, to help raise funds to get the North Queensland Youth State Team to the upcoming championships on the Sunshine Coast.
Held in Mooloolaba in late February, the state championships will see Queensland’s best young surf life savers competing in a range of activities from the ocean swim to the beach sprints.
But in order to get there, the Far North’s surf life saving clubs are swimming 1600km with the aim of raising $5000 to get them to the starting line.
Team manager Tiera Mikuzis said the team were excited to join the rest of Queensland’s best surf lifesaving swimmers.
“The kids are getting up and training as early as 5.30am, four days a week and adding that to their swim club training already,” she said.
“It’s important to get involved in the SLSC because these are the lifesavers of our future.”
Sponsorship officer Ruth Nona said: “From the age of 13 these young athletes will go on to patrol our beaches across North Queensland, keeping our beaches and community safe and delivering our vision of zero preventable deaths in Queensland public waters.”
So far, the team have swum over one million metres.
The team is trying to raise $5000 to pay for airfares, accommodation and trucks to transport their boards and equipment.
Ms Mikuzis said getting there is a “logistic nightmare”, so every dollar helps.
The team comprises 39 swimmers, with Cairns SLSC having 24 young representatives across all age groups.
Head to their GoFundMe page to donate.
Ben Bisset
U11s
“I like Surf lifesaving as because I’ve made lots of friends and I love to compete.”
Lola McPherson
U12s
“I can’t wait to compete at states next year”
Hamish Smallbane
U12s
“I swim 7-10kms per week and my goal is to be the fastest beach sprinter.”
Abby Bissett
U13s
“I love surf lifesaving because you meet a lot of great people, and it is full of opportunities to grow.”
Xander Veenstra
U13s
“Surf lifesaving is a great sport where you get to do lots of different activities and spend a lot of time at the beach.”
Ellie Nona
U14s
“Surf lifesaving is fun, high fitness sport that also teaches us rescue and safety skills so we can how to protect ourselves and others in the water.”
Bailey Pearson
U14s
“I love surf lifesaving and the opportunities it gives me, keeping fit, patrolling the beach, competing in local and state championships and helping younger Nippers develop into lifesavers.”
Lily Young
U14s
“Surf live saving allows me keep fit, meet people and give back to the community.”
Extended list of the team can be found on the Cairns SLSC website.
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Originally published as Meet Cairns’ fastest nippers as they swim 1600km to raise funds to reach the state championships
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