SURF’S UP
LIFE SAVING GETS IN ON OLYMPIC BID ACTION
SURF life saving is being considered as a demonstration sport as part of a Gold Coast and South East Queensland Olympics.
As talks continue over a possible bid for the 2032 Olympics, some of our best surf stars will today lay on a demonstration for delegates at the international SportAccord summit on the Gold Coast.
It is understood officials from the International Olympic Committee will be on hand for the demonstration ocean man and ocean woman races.
Surf life saving’s introduction to the Olympics is not as far-fetched as it sounds, with surfing set to make its debut next year in Tokyo.
It comes as Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate yesterday signed a contract to officially bring the sport’s world championships back to Queensland for the first time in just over 30 years.
The decision to award the championships to the Gold Coast was made in November, but it was officially ratified at SportAccord.
The 2024 surf life saving world championships will bring some 7500 competitors and their supporters to the Gold Coast, with events such as beach sprints and flags to be held in prime time and for the first time under lights at Kurrawa Beach.
International Life Saving Federation president Graham Ford said it was premature to talk of a push for the sport to become a full member of the Olympic program, but admitted it made sense to include surf sports in a Queensland Olympics in a demonstration sport capacity.
“That’s certainly aspirational to be part of the Olympics, but it is a very long process and it is a bit premature for that right now,” he said.
“We would certainly like to be considered as a demonstration sport in 2032.”
Before then, the world championships will return to Australia for the first time since Adelaide played host in 2010.
Queensland last hosted the event in 1988, when it was held on the Gold Coast.
The event would feature competitors from 50 nations and run for 14 days through late August and early September.
Mr Ford said having feature races such as beach sprints and flags held in front of makeshift stadiums under lights would add a new dimension to the event.
“We had some beach sports under lights for the Aussies at Mooloolaba a few years ago and we had 25,000 spectators, so to take that to the world championships, I’m pretty excited about it,” he said.