AUSSIE LIFESAVERS TOP OF THE CLASS IN JAPAN

Surf Life Saving Australia, September 20, 2013: Onjuku, Japan: The Australian Life Saving Team went back to school in Onjuku today when the local Primary Sschool hosted visiting teams competing in this week's International Surf Rescue Challenge.

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After a torrid day's competition in yesterday's First Test, dominated by Australia over World Champions New Zealand, the two countries attended class and received the warmest of welcomes from over 100 students.

Onjuku is a quaint fishing and surfing Village two hours south east of Tokyo and it has come alive this week with the world's finest surf sports athletes and Olympians Naomi Flood (Australia) and Kiwis Lisa Carrington (London Olympic gold medal winning kayaker) and London Olympic swimmer Andrew McMillan.

But it was the star of the first Test, Australia's Dev Lahey who at 197cm was the smash hit with the Japanese boys, who marvelled at Lahey’s lanky figure.

SCHOOL-VISIT--Dev-2

Lahey dominated the opening Test with six wins, including the open surf race and has emerged as the X-factor in an Australian team which has re-grouped here in Onjuku under National Head Coach Danny Short, determined to set he record straight against a Kiwi team that gave them a lifesaving lesson at last year's World Championships.

"It's great to have a day off from competition and see the smiles on these kids faces, they were really funny," said Lahey.

The Australian team spent an hour in the school gymnasium playing games and dancing before selected members Kristyl Smith, Naomi Flood, Rachelle King, Eliza Smith, Tim Schofield, Shannon Eckstein and Lachlan Tame were invited to have lunch with the kids.

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The Australians presented the school children with Aussie flags, koalas, stickers and Eckstein presented one young boy with a Nutri-Grain rash vest which the youngster didn’t take off for the rest of the session

SCHOOL-VISIT--TEAM-SHOT

The Second Test in the quest for the International Surf Rescue Challenge and Treans Tasman (Australia v New Zealand) pointscores will kick off tomorrow morning at 9am (10am AEST) and competition will wind up on Sunday with the Third and final Test.

Issued on behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia...

Ian Hanson

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