Aussies circling Black Fins after SERC silver at Montpellier
Surf Life Saving Australia, September 19, 2014: Australia will go into the final two days of beach competition at the World Life saving Championships, Rescue 2014 at Couchant Beach, La Grande Motte, 74 points behind defending champions New Zealand after a vital silver medal in the final event in the Antigone Olympic Pool, Montpellier yesterday.
They will also be buoyed by the eight-gold medal haul by the Australian Youth team that blitzed all-comers in the two days on the beach and included a total of seven gold to Sydney’s latest star Georgia Miller, to wrap up their beach campaign.
The Australian SERC team (Simulated Emergency Response Competition), led by Shannon Eckstein, included experienced trio Andrew Bowden (Bronte SLSC/The Hills LSC), Christina Ruiz (Northcliffe SLSC/RLSS Qld) and Pamela Hendry (Maroochydore SLSC/Brisbane Lifesaving). The team were hunting for their fifth straight victory in this event but had to settle for silver behind a French team that has shown the world they mean business in the chase for overall honours with Germany taking third place.
France will take a lead of 100 points into the two-day beach competition ahead of New Zealand, Germany with Australia in fourth.
But importantly in Australia’s points chase, they have picked up 14 valuable points on the Kiwis, who were 13th overall in the SERC.
Instead of behind 88 points down, they are now 74 which is still a monumental task.
“In rugby league terms, it’s like being 30 points down and scoring a vital try just before or after half-time,” said Australian Head Coach Danny Short.
Short has revealed he is now considering using Olympian Ryan Napoleon in the water events with the Currumbin Beach Vikings/RLSS Qld recruit and Olympian coming into contention for Australia’s surf race and rescue tube rescue events.
The Australians will start with its big guns first up on the beach with four-time Australian single ski champion and K2 World Championship kayak silver medallist Lachlan Tame lining up alongside the versatile Eckstein in the single ski.
Tame, a prospective Rio Olympian, has developed into a valuable component in Short’s plans and will play an important cog in an Australian wheel that will have to hit overdrive if they are to catch the determined Black Fins of New Zealand.
The Avoca Beach paddler will also line up in the board, the beach sprint, flags, beach relay and Oceanman (Taplin) Relay.
For the girls it will be room mates Olympian Naomi Flood (Manly LSC) and five-time Australian representative Kristyl Smith (Northcliffe) who will be first up for the Australians on the board.
“It’s great to have such swimming talent as Ryan Napoleon waiting in the wings; it just shows you how much depth we have in our swimming ranks,” said Short.
“It’s going to be a challenge for us but we are up for it and I know the team is ready to do whatever it takes to push the Kiwis to the limit.”
Domination Day for Dowker’s Dream Machine
Meanwhile the next generation showed that come 2016 they will be ready to step up to the mark and push for positions on the National Team after a second day of dominance on the beach by the Youth team.
Eight gold medals from 10 events – including a total of seven gold over two days to Newport’s latest recruit Georgia Miller who added gold in the Women’s Oceanman, Oceanman Relay and individual surf and single ski races to her opening day wins in the board race, board rescue and rescue-tube-rescue.
The future is looking very, very bright for coach Brett Dowker’s amazing Youth Team! You will see these faces and hear these names a LOT more in coming years. An amazing day for generation next saw five 1-2 finishes to the young Aussies.
Here is a run down of “Domination Day” at La Grande Motte:
There was a 1-2 finish to Australia in women's Youth surf ski with Georgia Miller taking gold ahead of Prue Davies (Currumbin SLSC/RLSS Qld) in a stunning quinella.
Another 1-2 for in the men's surf race with gold to Dan Collins (Redhead) & silver to Brad Woodward (Shelley Beach, NSW/The Hills LSC).Gold to Josh Brown (Byron Bay) in the single ski with Daniel Collins back in 5th in a tight group finish.
Gold and silver to Georgia Miller and Chelsea Gillett (Maroochydore/Brisbane LS) 2nd who blitzed the field in the women’s surf race.
Bronze for Nicole Kay (Mooloolaba) in the beach flags in a tough race against NZ and Japan That's a gold, silver and bronze for Nicole!
An unbelievable sixth gold for Georgia Miller in the Oceanwoman. What a champion, who scooped the medals.
Nik Green (Alexandra Headland) 1st, Josh Brown 2nd! Another 1, 2 from the Aussies in the Youth Oceanman Final
Gold for Australia ahead of South Africa and New Zealand in the Oceanwoman (Taplin) Relay and;
Gold to Australia in an Amazing effort in a tight win over NZ in the Men’s Oceanman (Taplin) final.
The Australian Lifesaving Team, World Life Saving Championships, Rescue 2014, Montpellier-La Grande-Motte, France, September 13-26, 2014:
Men - Shannon Eckstein (Northcliffe SLSC) Captain, Andrew Bowden (Bronte (SLSC/ The Hills Life Saving Club) Jake Lynch (Newport SLSC) Ryan Napoleon (Currumbin Beach Vikings SLSC / RLSS Queensland), Tim Schofield (Terrigal SLSC / The Hills Life Saving Club), Lachlan Tame (Avoca Beach SLSC).
Women - Miranda Bell (Northcliffe SLSC), Naomi Flood (Manly LSC), Pamela Hendry (Maroochydore SLSC / Brisbane Life Saving), Melissa Howard (Kurrawa SLSC), Christina Ruiz (Northcliffe SLSC / RLSS Queensland), Kristyl Smith (Northcliffe SLSC).
Australian Youth Lifesaving Team, World Life Saving Championships, Rescue 2014, Montpellier-La Grande-Motte, France, September 13-26, 2014:
Men - Joshua Brown (Byron Bay SLSC), Daniel Collins (Redhead SLSC), Matt Davis (Northcliffe SLSC / RLSS Queensland), Jason Gough (Mooloolaba SLSC), Nik Green (Alexandra Headlands SLSC), Brad Woodward (Shelley Beach SLSC / The Hills Life Saving Club).
Women - Prue Davies (Currumbin Beach Vikings SLSC / RLSS Queensland), Chelsea Gillett (Maroochydore SLSC / Brisbane Life Saving), Ela Heiniger (Byron Bay SLSC / Port Hacking Lifeguard Club), Nicole Kay (Mooloolaba SLSC), Alyssa Koenan (Northcliffe SLSC), Georgia Miller (Newport SLSC).
Team Management and Traveling Staff: Head Coach: Danny Short (Maroochydore SLSC), Team Manager: Keith Caldwell (Bulli SLSC), Assistant Coach: Wade Sinclair (Picnic Bay SLSC), Physiotherapy: Nick Marshall (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park SLSC), Sport Science/ Assistant Manager: Elise Bateman. Beach Coach: Martin Lynch (Newport SLSC)
Australian Youth Lifesaving Team Management: Head Coach: Brett Dowker (Currumbin SLSC), Team Manager: Garry Mensforth (Umina SLSC), Assistant Coach: Craig Holden (Elliot Heads SLSC), Physiotherapy: Troy Eady (Byron Bay SLSC), Beach Coach: Martin Lynch (Newport SLSC).
Travelling staff members: Kitty Chiller – SLSA GM Capacity & Capability (Female Athlete Liaison – Australian Youth Lifesaving Team), Nathan Hight – SLSA Sport Manager (CEO’s Representative, Australian Lifesaving Team and Youth Lifesaving Team.
PROGRAM DAYS REMAINING– Open and Youth
Saturday, September 20:
OPEN (Beach, Day 1)
YOUTH (Pool, Day 1)
Sunday, September 21:
OPEN (Beach, Day 2)
YOUTH (Pool, Day 2).
Social media (hashtags/twitter/websites):
#rescue2014 (event)
#pridemateshippassion (Team)
@AUSlifesaving
@SLS_Online
@royallifesaving
@Ausport
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Australian-Life-Saving-Team/370689553031410
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/AusLifeSavingTeam
www.rescue2014.fr (official website and location of results)
http://www.royallifesaving.com.au/
Issued on behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia by
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia
Media Manager, 2014 Australian Commonwealth Games Team
Deputy Media Manager 2016 Australian Olympic Team
Media Manager 2014 Pan Pacs
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia Managing Director
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