Woolacombe Surf Life Saving Club has been awarded the accolade of Super Life Saving Club of 2024 having scored the most points in total across all national Life Saving competitions in the pool and on the beach in all age groups.
Surf life-saving is a popular and growing sport, primarily in coastal communities nationally, although most Britons won’t have heard of it! There are over 10000 members of Surf Life Saving Great Britain and that figure grows every year. This is the sport that trains the beach lifeguards of the future and teaches people how to stay safe in our coastal waters. The sport originates in Australia where it is a professional elite sport as well as a community based activity. There are around 60 clubs nationally. In North Devon we have four clubs on our doorstep. Bideford Bay, Croyde, Saunton Sands and Woolacombe.
You will often see club members of all ages from 7 – 75 from all the clubs training on our beaches throughout the spring and summer months, and in the pool over the winter. Many of them go on to become the RNLI lifeguards that patrol our beaches and keep us all safe.
Clubs from around the country take part in regional county championships, culminating in the Surf Life Saving GB National Championships, both in the swimming pool and on the beach.
The Nippers aged 7 to 12, Youth aged 12 to 19, Open 16 and above and Masters aged 30 and above from all our local clubs regularly meet at their local beaches to have fun, learn how to stay safe in the water and train to compete.
Woolacombe’s competitive season started with the Nippers, Youth, Open and Master’s all winning the Devon pool and beach championships. The teams were competing against their friends and rivals from other local Devon clubs from North and South Devon.
The National Pool (Stillwater) Championships took place in early spring in the 50 metre pool in Cardiff. Around 40 clubs from all over Great Britain participated in non-stop racing, brilliantly organised by SLSGB, the governing body. The mighty Woolacombe Nippers and Youth teams fought very hard and both managed to claim the coveted national titles.
WSLSC claimed the Beach Devon Championships for all 4 sections and started to rev up for the next competition – the big one – the Beach National Championships. Training and fun sessions continued on the beach come rain or shine.
All clubs’ work incredibly hard to prepare for the Beach National Championships which, excluding the Open category, took place at Branksome Chine, Bournemouth. Over 1500 competitors took part in the Championships over the course of a week in August. It was a week of intense and gruelling competition, often with 10 hours of competition a day and some competitors participating in over 8 races. Just taking part in the Nationals is a huge achievement for all ages. Scoring points and winning national medals is extremely tough to achieve as competitors line up next to the best SLS athletes in the country.
The Masters kicked off the Beach Nationals with a very small Woolacombe team coming 9th out of 22 teams.
Next up the Youth team, a strong and dedicated group of athletes battled it out against friends and competitors from all over the country over two days in soaring temperatures to be crowned National Champions for the second year running.
To the club’s delight, the Nippers put the icing on the cake and were also crowned 2024 Beach National Champions. Finally the Open beach championships took place last weekend at the world class surf beach of Fistral in Cornwall, with Woolacombe coming third behind two of their big Cornish and Welsh rivals.
At the end of the season after all the National Championships have taken place, the points for each age group for every club around the country are all added together and SLSGB crowned Woolacombe Surf Life Saving Club The SLS Super Club of 2024, by over 200 points. Celebrations have already begun, this truly is an epic achievement!
WSLSC have also had many athletes over the years who have competed internationally for Team GB at the ILS World Surf Life Saving Championships and ILS European Championships and all have all brought medals home.
None of this would be possible without the dedication and support from all the volunteers at the club and all the parents. WSLSC are very lucky to train at one of the world’s best beaches, which is cared for by Parkins Estates Ltd. Parkins also kindly allow the club to keep their club hut on the beach in the summer.
A special mention should go to WSLSC main sponsor; Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks, who have generously sponsored the club this year enabling them to buy equipment for all the children to use this year and for many years to come.
Lindsay Alix – Chair
Jo Hibberd – Vice Chair
About Woolacombe Surf Life Saving Club
Registered Charity (No. 1176269)
Founded in 1962 as part of the North Devon Surf Life Saving Club, the club has a record that few others can match. Past and present membership boasts national, international and world champions in this challenging and exciting sport. WSLSC and all North Devon Clubs welcome new members to all sections of the club starting from age 7 onwards and, as well as encouraging our members to compete regionally, nationally and internationally we are out there to keep fit, stay safe and have fun.
The aims of the club are to raise awareness of dangers present on the beach and in the sea and to teach beach and sea safety along with lifesaving skills
Winter training takes place in the pool and from May members hit the beach to train. The beach is the club’s passion; it is what WSLSC love and excel at. Board paddling, ocean swimming and ocean ski paddling are the three disciplines members train in throughout the spring and summer.
