Upsets in the Youth Ocean events and six more world records in the pool for the Opens; the Lifesaving World Championships National Teams Competition had it all on Day three.
New Zealand’s Fergus Eadie took the record breaking baton off his female teammates of day one, and set the pool alight at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre today, starting with a blistering World Record 50m Manikin Carry heat swim (27.20) in the morning session.
Surrounded by his extended family wearing matching Fergus ‘face’ t-shirts he said the nerves were out in force before his heat World Record. “We were stood down beforehand so the legs were shaking a bit. The whistle went to get down and I thought damnit! I tried to calm myself down, looked down the lane, tunnel vision, focused on myself and that got me through it.”
“I thought the time was going to be good but I didn’t think it was going to be that good so I am so happy. To have all my family here and do it in front of them, it’s special. I would not be here without them, they support day in day out, everything they do for me, this is not just for me, it’s for them.”
Continuing his World Record run during the finals session with a 43.97 in the 100m Manikin Carry with Fins Final, touching ahead of Australia’s Harrison Hynes (44.19), he said it was overwhelming but incredible at the same time.
“It was just adrenaline that got me through that last one, it’s awesome, just awesome. I have such an amazing team behind me, getting me into the warm down pool, ice baths, ice vests; anything I could possibly want I’ve got it here. I have the most cool crew behind me.”
Nina Holt (GER) returned to the pool with two World Records to her name after day one and put everyone on notice again with a third World Record in her 50m Manikin Carry (32.20) just one of 15 races for her across the two day pool competition.
“I’m really proud of that race because I seriously didn’t expect to be 32 low. I was hoping to go close to my PB but didn’t expect to smash it like that to be honest! I want to thank all my coaches, all my family; my friends are here of course but my family are watching from home and I am super grateful for everyone.”
Germany’s dynamic female foursome (Lena Oppermann, Undine Lauerwald, Nina Holt and Alica Gebhardt) promised us a second World Record in the 4 x 25m Manikin Relay after breaking it in the heat swim before blasting it out of the water in the final by a further two seconds (1:14.72).
Italy’s men (Francesco Ippolito, Bio Pezzotti, Simone Locchi, Davide Cremonini) were not to be outdone in their own 4 x 25m Manikin Relay, also setting a World Record in their Heat swim with a 1:03.39 (followed by a 1:03.51 victory in the Final).
Defending World Champion Magali Rousseau (FRA) produced a dominant swim in the women’s 200m Super Lifesaver (2:20.26) before announcing her intention to retire from the international Pool Rescue scene.
“I don’t really feel the pressure, it is my last World Championships, I’m 36 now. It is my fifth and last [World Championships] because I don’t have much time for training, I am doing what I can do, so I am very happy. I didn’t want to put too much pressure but I really wanted to win this one and I am super happy to finish with a Gold.”
Over at Kurrawa Beach Australia extended their lead in the National Youth Teams competition as Beach and Ocean events came to a close.
Gold Coast local, Jasmine Rayward continued her immaculate form, adding wins in the Board, Ski and Lifesaver Relay to move to seven wins from seven events.
The home nation also won the Men’s Rescue Tube Rescue while Ethan Callaghan won the Men’s Board.
However it was two upset victories which stole the show at Kurrawa today with victories that went down to the wire.
In the men’s Ski it was a five way battle to the finish with four nations in contention. Callaghan and Iwan Scrivens (GBR) came together while approaching the line before Henry Simpson (AUS) and Laine Creighton (NZL) also tangled. That left Matthew Brading with a clear run to the line and tearful celebrations for the South African from Fish Hook Surf Life Saving Club.
“It’s the most amazing feeling ever,” he said, overwhelmed with emotion. “It means the absolute world to me… it is an absolute privilege to represent my country and to win on the biggest stage.”
However, the big upset of the day came in the Women’s Board Rescue where Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand were expected to vie for first. And while the trio were all in contention coming into the break zone, out on the southern end of the course Spain was the only country to catch a wave, with the roars of their teammates heard across Kurrawa.
Prior to that event, Australia had won all but two events in the Youth program with Spain becoming just the third nation to take a win.
“Really excited, we worked really hard for this race, and everything worked out as planned,” said Ana Bailon Barrios, thrilled with their unexpected win.
As the action moved to the Flags arena it was South Africa who dominated, with Eve Abrahams scoring another South African win, edging out Mollymook’s Mischa Boniface for the title.
An emotional Abrahams paid tribute to World Flags Champion EJ Forsythe after the competition, the pair having met in Texas last year at the International Surf Challenge. Abrahams was thankful to everyone who helped her make it to LWC 2024 to achieve a lifelong goal.
“This is my dream [since I was young],” she said. “I’ve always wanted to be doing this and it’s really big for me – it’s a little girl’s dream come true.
“I’ve worked so hard for this. I’ve put in so many hours and I have so many people to thank and I’m really grateful for the chance to be here.”
Making it a perfect afternoon in the pit for South Africa, Jake Hutton beat out Japan’s Yushin Saito to claim the men’s event, taking South Africa to four gold across the two days of competition.
The Open and Youth Teams now swap over with Youth heading to the pool for their final two days and Opens moving into the surf and sand.
