Rescue bid falls short despite seven gold as Youth Team completes clean sweep
Surf Life Saving Australia, September 22, 2014: Australia has fallen agonisingly short of the Alan Whelpton Trophy for the overall champion Nation at the World Lifesaving Championships, Rescue 2014 at Couchant Beach, La Grande Motte today.
The Australians, despite another golden day on the water, finished second overall, 22 points behind defending champions New Zealand with world record breaking pool champions France third.
But all was not lost as the Shannon Eckstein and Naomi Flood-led Aussies were crowned Ocean champions after two days of domination in the water while France won the Pool Championship.
And in what were encouraging signs for the future, the Australian Youth team completed the World Championship Pointscore clean sweep, winning the Overall Pointscore; the Ocean Pointscore and today wrapping up the Pool Pointscore.
Australia celebrated a huge victory, amassing 1065 points from New Zealand second with 787 points.
But there was a dampener on Australia’s golden day at the beach and in the pool.
In a gripping and at times dramatic finale, Kurrawa’s nine times Australian beach flags champion Melissa Howard suffered a broken collarbone in the beach flags final and will undergo surgery in Montpellier tomorrow.
Howard didn't move after colliding with eventual winner and reigning Australian champion, Currumbin’s Chanel Hickman (NZL) in the countdown to the final six and she was stretchered off the beach, while Howard’s fiancé Paul Cracroft-Wilson, competing for New Zealand, waited anxiously for his final.
Australian Team Manager Keith Caldwell said: “The doctors diagnosed Mel with a broken right clavicle and she will undergo surgery tomorrow – it’s a crying shame.
“She’s a great little champion and certainly a sad exit for Mel; the entire team were all obviously most concerned. But she’s a fighter and we know she’ll be back better than ever.”
Team captain Eckstein and the never-say-die Flood were standouts, both producing inspiring performances.
“We fought a good fight, but in the end the Kiwis were just too good; to catch up the way we did in the ocean events, particularly with Shannon and Naomi leading the way was inspiring, but we fell just short,” said Caldwell.
“The whole team never gave in; it was certainly a pressure cooker fight to the finish.”
Australia won seven of the final 10 events on the beach - including the Oceanman, surf race and board race treble to Eckstein and the Oceanwoman and single ski to Flood.
Eckstein’s dedication to the team as captain and his complete domination in the water stamps his authority as Australia's greatest ever all-round lifesaver.
Flood’s return to the Australian team showed the class and extraordinary talent of arguably Australia's finest overall female water athlete and the London Olympic kayaker, will now set her sights on the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Her victory in the Oceanwoman over Kiwi rising star Danielle McKenzie and hard-working Australian room mate Kristyl Smith showed she can still match it with the best, setting up her win with a great swim and followed by a dominant ski and board.
Australia also claimed gold in the Oceanwoman Relay with Miranda Bell, Flood and Smith while the Oceanman Relay was a sprint finish, with New Zealand edging out Australia in the run up the beach after Cracroft Wilson out-waded Jake Lynch in a frantic run to the finish.
The Youth team, brimming full of talent, with golden girls Georgia Miller and Chelsea Gillett and team captain Matt Davis leading the way in the pool and the ocean, will provide a platform for many future Australian successes.
Here is how the Youth Team’s Final Day unfolded in the Pool as they completed four days of domination:
GOLD in the pool to the sensational Chelsea Gillett in the 100 Rescue Medley! Ela Heiniger takes BRONZE. #Great start
MEN’S Youth 100 Rescue Medley and Matt Davis makes it two from two for Australia with Gold! Brad Woodward a great 6th place.
ONLY 5 minutes rest and Chelsea Gillett was in pool again for 100 Manikin Carry and guess what? Another GOLD!! #Sensational Alyssa Koenan 4th
MATT DAVIS follows his medley gold with BRONZE in the 100 Manikin Carry. That's three Gold & two Bronze from first 4 Youth pool races. #GoAUS
PRUE DAVIES wins gold in the 50m Manikin Carry final. #SuperStrongSwim Ela Heiniger 4th. That's four gold for Australia from first five races at the Youth Pool
MATT DAVIS fourth In 50 Manikin Carry. #Superman - a Gold, Bronze and 4th place in space of 20 minutes!
CHELSEA Gillett makes it two from two in two minutes! One happy double winner!!
SUPER Lifesaver World Champion is Prue Davies. #GoldenTouch Alyssa Koenan in 4th. #YouthTeamOnFire
SILVER to Matt Davis and BRONZE to Josh Brown in 200 super lifesaver Great effort guys
AND another GOLD to Australian Youth girls in the pool - 4 x 50 medley relay #GoldRush
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 (Northcliffe 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 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 (Manly LSC).
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.
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
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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