Australians Buoyed By BeNe Cup Results – Now for German Cup
Surf Life Saving Australia, November 20, 2013: The Australian Lifesaving Team has arrived in Warendorf brimful of confidence for this week’s international German Cup of pool lifesaving after encouraging performances at the BeNe Cup in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
The four-day German Cup starts Thursday and concludes on Sunday.
Australia finished second overall in the two-day meet in the Netherlands attended by the cream of Europe’s lifesaving teams including Italy, The Netherlands and Belgium and a small but select New Zealand team, who are the current world champions.
The Aussies were led by “Rescue 2012” representatives, Maroochydore and Port Hacking Lifeguard’s 21-year-old all-rounder Pamela Hendry and Super Lifesaver star Sam Bell who were joined in an impressive debut by Northcliffe’s 2012 Olympic swimmer and Commonwealth Games gold and silver medallist Ryan Napoleon.
Hendry finished second in the overall women’s pointscore as the Australian women also finished second overall.
The 2012 Australian Lifesaver Of The Year finished third to New Zealand’s 2013 FINA World Championship butterflyer Samantha Lee and Cristina Leanza (Italy) in the 100m Rescue Medley; third to Leanza and her team mate Chiara Borazi in the 50m Manikin Carry; fourth to Lee in the 200m Super Lifesaver and set a new Australian record in the 100m Manikin Carry of 58.31.
Hendry also combined with Mariah Jones, Christina Ruiz and Rachelle King to win the 4x50m Obstacle Relay, before finishing second to the brilliant Italian foursome in the 4x50m Medley Relay and third to Italy and Belgium in an exciting 4x25 Manikin Relay with less than a second and half separating the top three teams.
In the men, first time Australian Lifesaving Team representative Napoleon also finished second in the overall men's pointscore with the Australian men finishing third overall and Australian Team National Head coach Danny Short knows he can only get better.
Napoleon was second in the battle of the Olympians in the 200m freestyle with Obstacles with New Zealand’s fellow London representative Steven Kent taking the honours in 1:56.31 to Napoleon’s 1:58.11 with Italy’s Daniele Sanna third (2:01.13).
The Palm Beach-Currumbin based Napoleon then combined with Andrew Bowden, Tim Schofield and Bell to finished second to The Netherlands in the 4x50m Obstacle Relay third to The Netherlands and Italy in the 4x50m Medley Relay and third again to the well drilled Dutchman and the Italians in the 4x25m Manikin Relay.
Bell won Australia's only gold medal in the last event of the meet his specialist 200m Superlifesaver, beating Kiwi Olympian Kent with Peter Crijins (Netherlands) third.
The brilliant Bell stopped the clock at 2:13.93 from Kent (2:14.52) and Crijins (2:16.89) while in his first international competition, Bundaberg’s Matt Davis was outstanding to win the overall junior championship medal beating the best Europe had to offer.
Davis, from the Moore Park SLSC, won the 200m Super Lifesaver in a time of 2:20.00 - five seconds ahead of is nearest opponent as well as the 50m Manikin Carry before finishing third in the 200m Obstacle swim and fourth in the 100m Manikin Carry.
Short was pleased with the BeNe Cup results saying: “There have been a few good results come out of the tour so far and it was encouraging to finish second overall in the BeNe Cup – a great start for us.
“In his first competition, Ryan Napoleon’s efforts to finish second overall for the men was a great start for his Lifesaving career while young Matt Davis to win the Overall Junior point score is a first for an Australian that I can remember.
“We’re looking forward to the German Cup, although the weather is certainly not what we’re used to with a top temperature of two degrees greeting us in Warendorf.”
Australian Lifesaving Team, European Tour, 2013:
MEN:
Andrew Bowden (Bronte SLSC/ Hills Lifesaving Club)
Sam Bell (Maroochydore SLSC/ Port Hacking Lifeguard Club)
Tim Schofield (Terrigal SLSC/ Hills Lifesaving Club)
Matt Davis (Moore Park SLSC)
Ryan Napoleon (Northcliffe SLSC)
WOMEN:
Rachelle King (Terrigal SLSC/ Hills Lifesaving Club)
Christina Ruiz (Northcliffe SLSC)
Pam Hendry (Maroochydore SLSC/ Port Hacking Lifeguard Club)
Mariah Jones ( Tweed Heads Coolangatta)
STAFF:
Head Coach: Danny Short (Maroochydore)
Asst Coach / Team Manager: Wade Sinclair (Picnic Bay)
Physiotherapist: Nick Marshall ( Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park )
Prepared and Issued On behalf of the Australian Life Saving Teamby:
Ian Hanson
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