MEDIA STATEMENT FROM SURF LIFE SAVING AUSTRALIA

March 20: Following the tragic loss of young Ironman Saxon Bird at the 2010 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships yesterday, competition was immediately suspended.

After a review of today's conditions all water competition for the Aussies have been cancelled for today and tomorrow. Beach events will recommence today at 12noon with the beach sprints and first aid competition.

Surf Life Saving Australia's CEO, Brett Williamson OAM, said that the priority for the organisation at this time is to support Saxon's family, friends and clubmates.

"The entire Surf Life Saving community is mourning the loss of one of our great young surf lifesavers and our thoughts at this time are with his family, friends and clubmates," Mr Williamson said.

"Saxon was a bright young surf lifesaver who had grown up within the movement since he joined Queenscliff as a nipper.

"He was an outstanding surf swimmer and an emerging Ironman talent who had won two gold medals at past Australian championships - the under-17 surf race in 2008 and the under-15 surf race in 2006. Recently he won the NSW under-19 Ironman title.

"Away from the beach, Saxon was studying for a business degree at university and had been awarded the Queenscliff club's University Scholarship after outstanding results in his first year of study.

"Surf Life Saving is working with authorities in the ongoing coronial investigation and will also be conducting our own internal investigation into this tragedy.

"Our counselling teams along with other organisations such as the Salvation Army have been onsite since yesterday to provide support for the club, our members, officials and staff.

"I want to praise the efforts of the emergency services and police involved in yesterday's search and rescue.  For our emergency services personnel, to lose one of their own is tough and they responded quickly and worked together to do the best they could under tough circumstances.

"I would also like to thank all competitors and officials for their help with the search and rescue."

Queenscliff SLSC president David Piper OAM said his club's members were deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Saxon.

"He was not only one of the club's most outstanding competitors, winning NSW and Australian gold medals, but also a fine upstanding member of our community," Mr Piper said.

"We are a very close-knit, family orientated club who compete together, socialise together and now we are grieving together.

"Our thoughts go out to his mum and dad Phil and Dana and his sister Arielle at this very sad time and we will support them all in any way we can.

"The 120 members of our touring team are obviously very affected by this tragic loss of one of our own but I know his memory will live on in all our hearts forever.

As a tribute to Saxon, the Queenscliff team will all wear black armbands for the remainder of the competition.

Counselling services have been made available to Saxon's family, Queenscliff club members, fellow competitors, championships officials and rescuers.

Beach sprints and relays will commence today at Kurrawa from 12.00noon.

Beach flags and march past events will be on tomorrow from 8.00am.

As per the program, the Ecumenical Service will go ahead tomorrow at 9.00am with a special tribute to Saxon Bird.

BRETT WILLIAMSON OAM - CEO SLSA

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RON RANKIN AM - President SLSA

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DAVID PIPER OAM - President Queenscliff SLSC

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TOM ATKINSON - Senior competitor Queenscliff SLSC
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SUPERINTENDANT JIM KEOGH - Gold Coast Police
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