Ready to save lives?
They’re our beach heroes, and sexy to boot, and they want you as a new recruit.
The new lifesaving season is about to begin at the eastern suburbs beaches of Bondi, Bronte and the gay-favourite Tamarama, and the organisers of the 2007 Life Savers float hope they’ve caught community interest.
North Bondi instructor and float co-organiser Drew Lambert said next year’s entry would come with official support from Surf Life Saving Australia.
“It’s going to be bigger, better, and a lot more skin … if possible,” Lambert said. “This year we won sexiest entry and we’re very proud of that of course.”
Beyond the Speedo fascination, Lambert hoped the float had demonstrated how welcoming and friendly the lifesaving movement is to gays and lesbians.
“The thing I love about surf lifesaving is that it’s fun, extremely community spirited, there’s a great sense of camaraderie, you’re doing it down on the beach, and you get a suntan at the same time,” he said.
Josh Keesh got into lifesaving two years ago because he wanted to keep fit and have fun at the same time, but found it also great for expanding friends.
“It’s really cool to come down to the beach and use the clubhouse and gym whenever you want,” Keesh said.
Lambert wants people to get in the pool early this season to keep their fitness up to eight laps in nine minutes for Bronze Medallion induction, which he said was relatively easy.
“It’s a simple eight-week course, you learn all about the theory of saving lives and then you put it in practice on the beach,” he said.
“But as a lifesaver 95 percent of people you rescue aren’t actually on the beach. Going to bars and nightclubs, you know you can be there for people who maybe have a drug overdose or have an epileptic fit.
“Imagine it could actually be one of your friends’ lives that you’re saving.”
Float updates at www.lifesaver2007.blogspot.com; Bronte – Callum Metcalfe [email protected]; Tamarama – Michael Alvisse [email protected]; Bondi – Jim Kornmehl [email protected]; North Bondi – Alex O’Hara [email protected]
