Swimmers dive start with fins and a tube, swim to the manikin, clip the tube around the manikin before swimming and towing the manikin.

Short course (25m) event;

7-11: 50m (25m swim, 25m tow) empty manikin

12-14: 100m (75 swim, 25 tow) half full manikin

15+: 100m, full manikin

Short course (25m) event;

7-11 years: 50m swim with obstacle at mid point of 25m

12-14 years: 100m swim with obstacle at mid point of 25m

15+: 200m swim with obstacle at mid point of 25m

Relay: 4x50m

Short course (25m) event;

Manikin carry (with fins, without fins, relay):

7-11 years: 50m (swim 25, carry 25) empty manikin

12-14 years: 50m no fins (swim 25, carry 25) half full manikin, 100m with fins (swim 75, carry 25) half full manikin

15+: 50m no fins (swim 25, carry 25), 100m + fins (swim 75, carry 25) full manikin

Short course (25m) event;

4 x 25; Each swimmer carries the manikin 25m.

7-11: empty manikin

12-14: half full manikin

15+: full manikin

Short course event;

(Not eligible for juniors)

15+: 100m (full manikin submerged at 12.5)

Swimmers dive start and swim 75m, at the 75m turn swimmers are required to submerge and swim under water to the manikin at 12.5 m, pick up and then surface continuing to the end of the pool carrying the manikin.

7-9: 6m throw (7-8m length rope)

10-14: 8m throw (10-11m length rope)

15+: 12.5m throw (16.5-17.5m length rope)

Each person competing line throw must have a team member in the water at the crossbar with one hand touching the crossbar. At the acoustic signal, thrower reels in the rope then throws to their swimmer. If swimmer is able to reach rope they grab hold and kick to the wall while the thrower pulls.

(Not eligible for juniors)

Short course (25m) event;

15+: 200m

Following the dive start, swimmers complete a 75m swim then pick up a submerged full manikin and carry 25m. Swimmers drop the manikin at the 100m wall, put on fins and tube then swim another 75m before clipping their tube around the manikin at the wall and towing the manikin a final 25m.

The art of explosive power and speed across the beach is what beach sprinting is all about.  Typically a 90m distance this event sees the fastest lifesavers on the beach battle it out.  Event distances are modified for younger age groups offering a 50m and 70m option.

​​An exciting event which sees competitors starting laying down facing away from the beach flag batons located 10m, 15m or 20m away (depending on age) then pushing up off the sand to sprint and dive to get a beach flag.  This event is similar to musical chairs where there is one less beach flag to competitors, eliminating competitors each cycle until there is only one winner.

Leg burner, this event is what it sounds like...2kms of running on sand, generally run in 500m lengths along the beach.  You will be amazed at the pace competitors can achieve in this event.  In junior competitions we hold a 2km beach relay which caters for all ages with 4 runners racing a length of the 2km total run.  Lengths are broken into 800m, 600, 400m and 200m lengths.

(not eligible for juniors)

Strength, power and stability is what is required to rocket a ski through the waves around three buoys and back to the beach.  Athletes start paddling skis from 14 years and above and are amazing to watch in the surf developing skills to balance and control the craft.  

The paddle board is used not only in sport but as a major rescue craft to save people in the sea.  A paddle board event starts standing on the beach then a sprint start into the water where paddlers jump onto their knees or stomach to paddle the board through the waves around three buoys then back to the beach for a sprint finish up the sand.  Boards range in sizes for junior surf and can be fibre glass or foam type construction down to body boards for our young nippers. 

 Competitors also race a board rescue relay where a swimmer starts by making their way out to the buoy line where they will raise their hand and signal to the board rescuer to paddle out and pick them up. Both athletes then paddle back to shore with a run up the beach to finish

There are many different swimming events on offer at competitions.  These include surf race, run swim run, surf teams race. Competitors sprint off the start line then wade and dolphin dive through the shallows before starting to swim and negotiate the waves.  Once clear of the waves, competitors swim around a set of buoys before turning towards shore to swim back to the beach or catching a ride home on a wave.

The ocean events are the endurance events of surf life saving, with competitors completing three different legs of the event (ski, board and swim generally with a sprint finish) this makes for an action packed race that can change leaders every leg depending on a competitors strength.