tony
Admin
Admin
| Posts: 3127 |  |
Karma: 14
|
New location for Aussies - 2008/04/03 23:05
Venue change for 2010 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships
Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) today announced that it will look at alternative venue options for the 2010 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.
This is due to the various financial, logistical and environmental requirements at the proposed site at Boambee Beach in Coffs Harbour, which may not be resolved in time to allow the detailed event planning necessary in the lead up to 2010 championships.
SLSA Chief Executive Officer, Brett Williamson OAM, said that the organisation remained fully committed to working with Coffs Harbour City Council and the NSW Government to reschedule the event to Coffs Harbour at a later time.
“We are confident the Boambee Beach site has the potential to provide an excellent venue for future surf sports events, including the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, once the various issues, including environmental assessments and approvals, are properly resolved,” he said.
“We look forward to reaching agreement with Coffs Harbour City Council and the NSW Government for the hosting of this and other great events in the following years, however in the meantime, SLSA will investigate opportunities for hosting the championships at another location from 2010, and possibly through to 2012,” he said.
“Our obligation now is to sit down with the NSW Government and Coffs Harbour City Council to determine realistic timeframes for the Boambee Beach venue, as well as assess alternative options in NSW.
“We are hopeful that we will be in a position to reach agreement on the venue before the middle of this year, which provides us with adequate time for the detailed planning necessary for an event of this size,” he said.
The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships are the biggest event of their type in the world attracting surf lifesavers from across Australia and around the globe.
For 12 years from 1995 until 2006, the championships were successfully conducted at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast, and have been held at the purpose-built, world-class facilities at Scarborough Beach, Perth since 2007.
In 2007 the championships won the prestigious Western Australian Tourism Award in the Major Festivals and Events category, while an independent economic study found that they are worth more than $23 million to the Western Australian economy each year.
Williamson said that SLSA would also now assess options for establishing a longer-term schedule for all major surf sports events.
“A long-term schedule for surf sports events, including the championships, would provide greater certainty for SLSA, our members, the host venue or venues, as well as other key stakeholders, and allows us to consolidate the future of surf sports in Australia ,” he concluded.
Sean O'Connell
Communications Manager
Surf Life Saving Australia
|
