The logistics and time invested in hosting an event on the scale of the NSW Surf Life Saving Championships are significant and it’s been a whole club effort on the part of Swansea Belmont to ensure that the State Champs were a success.
The numbers alone are staggering;
- 10 competition days
- Over 6500 competitors across the Championships
- Crowds of up to 6000 on the beach during peak days
- 500 + events
- Stocking the BBQ and canteen to cater the event
- Setting up and packing away the equipment
Throw in the months of preparation and the post event debrief and you can get some idea of the behind-the-scenes work that is required.
Fortunately the hardy crew from Swansea Belmont handed everything thrown at them (including the challenges of the weather) thrown at them with aplomb and in just over a year’s time they will be backing up to do it all again.
Swansea Belmont President and Organising Committee Chair Graham Burge was full of admiration for the efforts of his club’s work party believing it played a significant role in ensuring the success of the event.
“For 20 days from the time of the first bump in when the shipping containers arrived it has been a monumental effort on the part of the Organising Committee and Workforce,” said Graham Burge.
“Some of the many tasks the group did included setting up competition areas on the beach and in the water, along with the logistics of moving boats, cleaning the beach of litter at the end of every day and the long process of packing up all the equipment & fencing.
“I would like to thanks the BBQ teams who cooked all day long, the parking staff who dealt with vehicle movements, the bar staff who provided hospitality at the end of each day & our cleaning teams keeping the toilets and garbage bins clean throughout the days,” he said.
The President also acknowledged the efforts of those out on the water in helping deliver a memorable carnival.
“I would like to thank all the Surf Life Saving officials, the water safety volunteers, the IRB and Jet Ski crews and of course the safety committee for ensuring that all competitors welfare came first in what was large surf conditions.”
Swansea Belmont’s years of experience hosting major Surf Sport events certainly proved to be an advantage during the 2017 NSW Surf Life Saving Championships, and after pausing to reflect, the club has set its sights on surpassing the event into the future.
“Overall the club is very pleased with the carnival and we look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2018,” Graham Burge said.
The NSW Surf Life Saving Age Championships, proudly supported by Your local club returns to Blacksmiths Beach, Swansea in 2018 from Feb 24 – March 11 for another exciting year of competition.