South-West to host premier surf lifesaving event

Smiths Beach, near Yallingup in Western Australia, will, for the first time, host the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series when it kicks off its 2013-14 season next month.

Anouncing the event, Western Australia Tourism Minister Liza Harvey said first two rounds of the new-look event would be held at Smiths - a great coup for Western Australia, one of only three States to feature in the competition.

The revamped surf lifesaving event will stage six rounds in three locations, all with reputations for testing surf conditions.

Minister Harvey stated "Smiths Beach is famous locally for its beauty and its challenging conditions so it is the perfect location for this gruelling ocean-based competition.

"The series will be broadcast around Australia on the Nine Network, which will give the State and the South-West region great exposure in some of our key domestic tourism markets."

"I am also pleased that these athletes have made some time for our local young nippers and will be coaching nipper clinics at metro surf clubs during their time here in WA. This is a great way to promote the sport and highlights the tradition in the surf lifesaving movement of 'giving back' to the community."

The Minister said the IronMan and IronWoman Series was one of two new opportunities to promote WA.

A new Nine Network reality TV series, Deep Water, has also been filmed exclusively in Western Australia.

Shot in Kalbarri, Coral Bay, Carnarvon and Geraldton, the program features six leading ironmen competing in a series of challenges, including surfing, sand-boarding, abseiling, cattle mustering and swimming with manta rays.

Minister Harvey said with the ironman series being held at Smiths Beach, Deep Water being shot at some of our amazing destinations and Scarborough hosting the 2014 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships (the Aussies), Western Australia was developing a reputation as a strong surf lifesaving State with fabulous opportunities for beach holidays.

She concluded "the 'Aussies' are expected to attract more than 6,000 competitors and thousands more visitors to the State.

"When the event was last held in WA in 2009, more than 80,000 people descended on Scarborough Beach during the six-day competition, which was a great boost for local businesses."

Round one and two of the 2013-14 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Series will be held at Smiths Beach on Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December.

13th May 2012 - 2014 AUSTRALIAN SURF LIFE SAVING CHAMPIONSHIPS SET FOR WA’S SCARBOROUGH BEACH 

3rd April 2012 - SURF LIFESAVING SAFETY EXPERT CALLS FOR EVENT PROBE

29th March 2012 - MISSING COMPETITOR PUTS FOCUS ON SURF LIFE SAVING EVENT SAFETY

6th March 2012 - FEDERAL COALITION LEADER PLEDGES MORE MONEY FOR LIFE SAVING

 22nd March 2010 - LIFE SAVING SURF EVENTS SCRAPPED AFTER IRONMAN DEATH

8th January 2010 - SURF LIFESAVERS URGE BEACHGOERS TO PLAY IT SAFE 

19th November 2009 - PEACE OF MIND FOR PERTH BEACHGOERS 

28th October 2009 - BEACH ‘BRAVADO’ KILLING AUSSIE MEN