VENUS Bay Surf Lifesaving Club sent a team of 21 to compete at the Lifesaving World Championships held in Broadbeach Queensland from August 20 to September 8.
With more than 5000 athletes and officials, the Lifesaving World Championships is the second largest global sporting event after the Olympics.
Competing in the surf, on the beach in IRBs and Surfboats the Venus Bay team came away with some incredibly impressive results.
The five person Masters Team of Paul Hoffman, Paul Mullarvey, Anthony Martin, Graeme Overall and Craig Watson all made individual finals with the most impressive results being Paul Hoffman 15th in the Surf race and Paul Mullarvey 12th in the Ironman.
Our 13 Strong IRB Contingent of Ella Arnold, Caitlyn Overall, Austin Timmins, Andrew Moore, Sabrina Lombardo, Sophie Glasson, Kieran Randall, Lachlan Hickey, Tyla McAlear, Alice Webb, Declan Woolf, Blake Harvey and Rhiannon McCorriston produced some amazing results. This included a second place in the B Final of the Women’s Mass Rescue (Tyla McAlear, Alice Webb, Declan Woolf and Rhiannon McCorriston), and an eighth place in the Women’s Rescue B Final (Sabrina Lombardo, Sophie Glasson and Lachlan Hickey).
Club legend Allan Latto finished fourth in the world in the Surf Boats competing with lifesavers from Point Leo.
Team Manager Marty McCorriston and Competition Official Elise McCorriston completed the Venus Bay team.
Club President Kimberley Gee ESM said “We couldn’t be prouder of this fine group of lifesavers. They spend their summers keeping the beaches of Venus Bay safe and train hard in the off-season to compete at this incredibly high level. To have a team of 21 at the World Champs is a testament to the development and pathways of this great club.”
The Championships provided some great experience to compete at the top level against international athletes and Team Venus Bay is already in training for the 2026 World Championships in Morocco.
For information about joining or supporting the Venus Bay SLSC please jump on the website vbslsc.org.au.
