Surf Life Saving NSW is pleased to confirm the 2018 Interstate Pool Rescue Team who will travel to South Australia later this month for the annual representative competition.


A team of 22 highly talented athletes was announced on Friday with the recent State Championships on the state’s Central Coast providing plenty of food for thought for the selectors.



Ultimately a team was chosen that blends a mixture of youth and experience with the athletes rewarded for strong performances over a period of time.



NSW will field competitors in the U14 through to Open Divisions with selectors quietly confident that they have a team that will challenge the best Australia has to offer after coming second at the same venue in 2017.



Pleasingly the squad is extremely versatile, adept in both the surf and pool, with several team members having already been capped by Australia.



They will certainly be out to boost their impressive resumes with another strong performance for their state.



Umina will be well represented with five athletes including Jemma Smith, Rachel Wood, Kayla Holmes, Lachlan Braddish and Blake Hessel who won nearly 60 medals between them at NSW Titles.



Terrigal and Shelly Beach clubs have been rewarded for their impressive campaigns with six competitors between them including Charlise Wheeler who is coming off a wonderful weekend at Woy Woy.



Joel Piper and Emily Doyle (Newport) and Amelia Wegenaar (North Curl Curl) will fly the flag for the Northern Beaches while the Bulli duo of Holly Holmesby and Zara Sharman will represent the Illawarra.



Bailey Proud (Redhead), Keeley Booth (Avoca Beach) and Joseph Warne (Cudgen Headland) are the lone representatives for their clubs though Warne will be joined by club mate Chantal Luxton who has been selected under the Bronze of Origin rule.



This rule allows each state to select former club members who have come through the development system before moving on to interstate opportunities.



Under this criteria, Luxton will be joined on the team by Callum Lowe Griffiths (Queenscliff) and Ethan Garland (North Cronulla) with the trio now all representing Queensland clubs in competition.



“It was an incredibly difficult decision for the selectors with a number of NSW athletes coming into form at the right time,” said Surf Sports Officer Chiara Nowland.



“We are confident that we have selected a team capable of giving a good account of themselves, and would like to wish all those selected the very best of luck,” she said.



The NSW team will come together for a training session in the coming days before travelling to the South Australian capital where they will compete in the Interstate Competition that runs co-currently with the Australian Pool Rescue Championships to be held from Friday 3 – Sunday 5 August inclusive.



2018 NSW Interstate Team



U14 Division




  • Joel Piper – Newport SLSC

  • Thomas Rodham – Terrigal SLSC

  • Eliana Bootes – Terrigal SLSC

  • Holly Holmesby – Bulli SLSC



U15 Division 




  • Sam Cummins – Terrigal SLSC

  • Joseph Warne – Cudgen Headland SLSC

  • Charlise Wheeler – Terrigal SLSC

  • Amelia Wegenaar  - North Curl Curl SLSC          



U17 Division




  • Blake Hessel – Umina SLSC

  • Lachlan Braddish – Umina SLSC

  • Kaylah Holmes – Umina SLSC

  • Zara Sharman – Bulli SLSC



U19 Division




  • James Koch – Shelly Beach SLSC

  • Bailey Proud – Redhead SLSC

  • Keeley Booth – Avoca Beach SLSC

  • Emily Doyle – Newport SLSC

     



OPEN Division




  • Callum Lowe-Griffiths – Queenscliff SLSC *

  • Ethan Garland – North Cronulla SLSC *  

  • Thomas Simpson – Shelly Beach SLSC

  • Rachel Wood – Umina SLSC

  • Jemma Smith – Umina SLSC

  • Chantal Luxton – Cudgen Headland SLSC *



Please note * denotes Bronze of Origin qualified



 



Friday 20 July 2018


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