6. Surf Sports & Competition

From club events through to state and national championships, surf sports at Trigg Island SLSC are open to members of all abilities. The Surf Sports Committee plans the season program and coordinates club entries, and coaches support members across board, ski, swim, beach and IRB events, plus traditional events like boats, IRB and March Past.

Governance

The Surf Sports Committee — chaired by the Director of Surf Sports — plans the intraclub calendar, coordinates entries to SLSWA, Branch and SLSA events, and advises the Board on competition policy, team selection and representative events. The Board of Directors retains ultimate authority over eligibility determinations, disciplinary matters and selection disputes, and may delegate specific authority to the Committee by resolution.

Training

The surf sports training program is released on Team App each Monday for the week ahead, covering board, ski, iron and beach sessions. All Trigg members must wear high-vis for water-based sessions.

Ocean events are the heart of surf sports — testing swimming, paddling and boat skills out in the surf itself.

• Surf Swim — endurance, speed and surf awareness; individual and team races swimming around buoys and back to shore
• Board Paddling — strength, balance and surf skill on a racing board; individual races, board rescue (swimmer plus paddler), and three-person relay teams
• Surf Ski Racing — power, endurance and ocean knowledge; individual, double and relay ski formats
• Ironperson — a multi-discipline race combining swim, board paddle, ski paddle and beach run in one continuous course
• Surf Belt Race — a traditional event where a belt swimmer, linesmen and reel handler work together: the swimmer races to a buoy and is hauled back in
• Rescue Tube/Board Rescue — simulated rescue scenarios testing lifesaving skill, speed and technique, using swimming or paddling
• Taplin Relays — team relays combining swim, board, ski and run legs (the Youth "Cameron" version drops the ski leg, using swim, board and run only)
• Board Riding — surfing judged on wave selection, length of ride, and the quality and difficulty of turns and manoeuvres

Surf Boats also race in the ocean — see Surf Boat Racing.

• Beach Runs — 1km and 2km races, individual or team, run on sand
• Beach Sprints & Flags — 70–90m sprint races, individually or in relay teams; flags is an elimination event starting from a prone position
• March Past — a ceremonial parade in club uniform carrying the surf reel, judged on timing and formation

• Champion First Aid — a team event testing CPR, spinal management, bandaging and patient assessment
• Champion Lifesaver — an individual event combining surf swimming, board paddling, beach running, CPR and first aid
• Champion Patrol — a team event simulating real beach patrol duties: rescue scenarios, first aid, patient assessment and equipment use
• Rescue & Resuscitation (R&R) — teams of 2–6 perform a simulated rescue and resuscitation under strict procedure, judged on accuracy and timing

A surf boat crew is four rowers and a sweep. Crews row out around their assigned turning buoy and back to the beach, across men's, women's and mixed divisions — teamwork and skill count as much as raw power.

A high-speed team event simulating a rescue using an Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB), crewed by a driver and crewperson who navigate the surf, "retrieve" a patient, and return to shore. Four event types — IRB Rescue, Mass Rescue, Tube Rescue and Teams Rescue — all test speed, coordination and surf knowledge.

Pool rescue events test lifesaving skills in a controlled swimming pool environment, using manikins, rescue tubes and fins to simulate rescues — combining swimming speed with accurate rescue technique. Events include manikin carry, obstacle swim, and simulated victim rescue relays, run individually or in teams.

Board and ski rack allocations

Members who regularly train and compete for the club may apply for a designated rack in the club shed for an annual fee — $95 for a ski rack, $75 for a board rack. Applications open at the start of each season, with allocations finalised soon after. Equipment stored at the club isn't covered under SLSA or club insurance.

Before representing Trigg Island SLSC in any event — intraclub, interclub or championship — you must:

• Be a current financial member, registered in the SLS Members Hub

• Hold the appropriate SLSA award for the age category and event

• Be currently proficient — annual Skills Maintenance completed

• Have met your patrol and service commitments

• Not be in default of any club, Branch, State or SLSA obligation — financial, service or disciplinary

• Meet any event-specific requirements, such as an IRB Driver licence or Surf Boat sweep accreditation

New members — the 120-Day Rule

Non-award members aged U15 and above who are new to SLSA may compete in non-championship competitions for up to 120 days from joining, provided they complete a basic assessment, have appropriate coaching supervision, and the club provides adequate water safety. Approval from the Director of Surf Sports is needed before entering events under this rule.

Junior (Nipper) eligibility

Only U8–U13 Nippers are eligible to compete (U6 and U7 take part in the program but don't compete), and only once they've met the Preliminary and competition evaluation swim criteria assessed by their Age Manager — see Nipper Competitions.

Patrol and service obligations

Active, Cadet, Active Reserve and Award members must be meeting their Club patrol obligations to be eligible for interclub and championship events — see Patrols & Lifesaving. Club obligations and SLSA competition eligibility are separate and distinct: completing your Club roster — including via accepted substitutes — satisfies your Club obligation, but doesn't automatically satisfy SLSA's competition eligibility requirements, which the Club cannot waive.

Members on approved leave aren't automatically ineligible; the Board considers each case, and may grant an exemption in exceptional circumstances — though a Club exemption doesn't affect your separate SLSA competition eligibility obligations.

Helmets

SLSA-certified surf helmets are compulsory for boat rowers and sweeps, and for IRB Patients (except the IRB Rescue Tube Race). Helmets worn in competition must display the club's cap colours, or be covered to match.

A competitor not properly dressed can be excluded by the Referee at an SLSA-sanctioned event, or directed by the Director of Surf Sports to change before competing at a club event. Uniform items are available from the Club Administrator — the club may also provide bathers or caps to members facing genuine financial hardship, on confidential application.

Intraclub competition gives every member the chance to compete in a supportive, club-based environment that builds participation, skill and enjoyment — an important stepping stone before interclub and championship competition. The Surf Sports Committee sets the season's Club Championship program (potentially covering ocean swimming, board paddling, beach sprints and relays, IRB, Junior and Masters events) ahead of the season, with reasonable notice of any changes.

Categories

A Club Championship event needs at least 3 eligible entrants in a category to run — with fewer, the Committee may combine categories or cancel that event for the season. To be eligible for a Club Championship swimming trophy, you need at least 3 qualifying training swims or intraclub events beforehand.

Intraclub eligibility

To take part in intraclub events, you need to be a current financial member, hold a current SLSA award appropriate to the event (or be an eligible Junior member), and hold current Skills Maintenance proficiency where required. The strict interclub patrol requirements don't automatically apply — though members significantly non-compliant with patrol obligations may still be deemed ineligible by the Committee.

Competing at an interclub or championship event as a member of Trigg Island SLSC is a privilege — you're an ambassador for the club and for surf lifesaving, on and off the competition course.

Entering an event

1. Notify the Director of Surf Sports or Surf Sports Committee before the entry deadline (for Nipper events, notify your Age Manager)
2. Confirm your eligibility — see Competition Eligibility & Patrol Requirements
3. Pay any applicable entry fees by the nominated deadline
4. Confirm your availability for the scheduled day(s)

Late entries are subject to approval by the Director of Surf Sports and depend on whether the event organiser accepts them — the club can't be responsible for a missed deadline. Members are generally responsible for their own entry fees for individual events; for team events, the Committee advises the fee-sharing arrangement.

Team selection

Where the club enters team events — beach relays, Champion Lifesaver, IRB teams, surf boat crews, March Past — selection is the Surf Sports Committee's responsibility, in consultation with coaches, based on demonstrated ability and performance, availability, compliance with patrol and membership obligations, and conduct consistent with the club's values. The Committee's decisions are final; raise a concern with the Director of Surf Sports first, then the Board if unresolved.

Masters

Masters competitors 30 years and above compete in 5-year age groups across beach, surf, boats and rescue. Key 2026–27 dates include the SLSWA Masters State Championships (13–14 February 2027, Perth) and the Australian Masters Championships (Sunshine Coast, Queensland).

Trigg has one of the largest Masters contingents in Western Australia, with dedicated training sessions on the weekly schedule — all Masters are welcome at Trigg's surf sports training and the club's carnivals.

Standards expected of competitors

• Compete with integrity, sportsmanship and respect for fellow competitors, officials and the competition environment
• Accept officials' and referees' decisions without argument — disputes go through the formal protest process
• Support and encourage fellow Club members and competitors from other clubs
• Avoid any conduct that could bring the club, SLSWA or SLSA into disrepute
• Follow directions from coaches, team managers, officials and event organisers
• Behave appropriately on social media in relation to competition activities and results

Conduct breaches

Unsportsmanlike behaviour, safety rule breaches, ignoring officials' directions, or bringing the club into disrepute can mean exclusion or disqualification from an event, referral to the Surf Sports Committee or Board, suspension from further competition, or referral to SLSWA/SLSA for disciplinary action. See Complaints, Grievances & Discipline for how disciplinary matters are handled at club level.

Protests and disputes

Protests about decisions at an SLSA-sanctioned event follow the process and time limits set out in the SLSA Surf Sports Manual and communicated by officials at each event. Intraclub disputes about eligibility, results or conduct go to the Director of Surf Sports first, then the Surf Sports Committee and, if necessary, the Board — whose determination is final. Eligibility disputes at any level are referred to the Board, and a member may be permitted to compete provisionally while a determination is pending.

The Club maintains a register of competition craft — including named boards and skis such as the Avenell Family Board and the Rotary Club Ski — for exclusive personal use by eligible youth members. This program supports young athletes who'd benefit from dedicated access to Club-owned competition craft for training and competition.

The Director of Surf Sports keeps a current Schedule of Club Craft Available for Allocation, listing exactly which craft the Board has approved for this program. As a general guide, boards are available to U14–U15 members (and may extend to U17 where a two-season allocation crosses age groups), and skis to U17 members (extending to U19 in the same way).

Eligibility

In addition to the Club's general competition eligibility requirements (see Competition Eligibility & Patrol Requirements), to apply you must:

• Be an Under 14, 15 or 17 member of Trigg Island SLSC
• Have been a Club member for at least two seasons, including Nipper seasons
• Have regularly attended WA Surf Sport carnivals and the WA State Championships in the previous and current season
• Have your Club coach attest to your dedication to training
• Not already hold another current personal use allocation — preference goes to members who don't already have allocated equipment

Applications are assessed by the Surf Sports Committee (the Director of Surf Sports and Director of Youth), whose decision is final. An allocation runs for two seasons from the date of approval.

What's expected of you while you hold an allocation

• Attend coaching sessions for the relevant discipline regularly throughout the season
• Attend selected surf sport events during the season, including the WA State Surf Life Saving Championships
• Use the craft only for your own training and competition — it can never be transferred to another member or person
• Take responsibility for the craft and its repair while it's allocated to you — any damage or repairs needed when it's returned will be charged to you
• Return the craft to the Club in good working order at the end of the allocation period
• Tell the Director of Surf Sports promptly about any injury, your expected recovery timeline, and stay in touch during any period you're not training
• Let the Director of Surf Sports know about any planned extended absences during the season

How to apply

Complete the Club's Equipment Allocation Application Form — available from the Club Administrator or the document system — and submit it to the Director of Surf Sports. Applications are assessed at the start of each season.

Subject to available space, the Club can offer eligible members somewhere to store their own privately-owned surf sports craft at Club facilities, to support training. Storage is limited to competition boards, skis and — space permitting — competition surfboards. No other personal equipment can be stored on Club premises.

Eligibility

In addition to the Club's general competition eligibility requirements (see Competition Eligibility & Patrol Requirements), you need approval from the Director of Surf Sports to store craft at the Club.

Storage fees

The Board sets storage fees at the start of each season, published on the Club's fee schedule. Fees are paid through the Club's payment gateway at the time of application. If your application isn't granted, your fee is refunded in full.

If demand exceeds space

When there's more demand than available storage, the Director of Surf Sports allocates spaces in this priority order:

Conditions of storage

• Storage is granted for the current season only — you'll need to reapply each season

• You can only use the specific rack or space the Director of Surf Sports allocates to you

• Craft must be kept in the allocated area within the operations shed, or wherever else the Director of Surf Sports designates

• If your patrol obligations lapse during the season, the Director of Surf Sports may issue you a written warning — if it's still not resolved after that, your craft must be removed from Club premises within 7 days

• The Club can ask you to remove your craft at any time — you'll have 7 days to do so

How to apply

Complete the Club's Craft Storage Application Form. Applications are assessed on a rolling basis, subject to available space.