2013 AUSTRALIAN SURF LIFESAVING CHAMPIONSHIPS RELOCATION DECISION

SURF LIFE SAVING, MARCH, 19, 2013: Following inspections today by the 2013 Australian Championships Event Organising Committee (AEOC) in consultation with representatives from SLSA, Gold Coast City Council and the Australian Surf Rowers League, it has been decided to relocate the surf boat events from Tugun Beach to North Kirra.

The AEOC agreed unanimously that the event could not be safely conducted at Tugun due to the insufficient width of beach.

The entire carnival will now take place at North Kirra from April 15-21.

The AEOC, have closely monitored the beach erosion at Tugun over the past month and the committee met at Tugun and North Kirra today for final inspections before making its decision.

"After careful consideration the AEOC has been forced to make the call to relocate the surf boat events from Tugun to North Kirra," carnival spokesman Ian Hanson said today.

"Unfortunately Mother Nature has not been kind to our beaches on the Gold Coast thus summer and the beach at Tugun has been heavily eroded.

"The organisers after careful consideration had no alternative but to relocate because organisers could not safely conduct the event at Tugun.

"It is a shame because Tugun presented us with an ideal location for the surf boat competition but the committee has identified a 1.5 kilometre stretch of beach between the northern arena and Bilinga

"We started the summer with a lot of sand at North Kirra and that will hold the carnival in good stead when competition gets underway on April 15."

2013 Aussies spokesperson Ian Hanson will also be available at at North Kirra for any television or radio interviews from 1:15pm

Issued on behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia by

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Ian Hanson