Three Redlands brothers have won big at the 2022 Australian Pool Rescue Championships on the Gold Coast earlier, scooping up 28 medals between them.
Brothers Callum (18), Riley (16) and Jackson Brennan (13) represented their surf club Currumbin Beach Vikings over the three day event which was contested by athletes from across Australia.
Callum and Riley won six golds, five silvers and two bronze medals each while Jackson picked up a gold in the U14 Line Throw.
Callum broke two Australian records in the U19 Rescue Medley and the 50m Manikin Carry, and then joined his brother Riley to break another Australian record in the Mixed U17/U19 Pool Lifesaver Relay.
The Currumbin Beach Vikings finished the event in second place on 347 points in the Opens Division with a dominant BMD Northcliffe SLSC finishing top on 727 points.
The brothers have long been involved with surf life saving in Redlands, having joined the Point Lookout Surf Life Saving Club at a young age.
For Callum and Riley, the Championships were their last major event before they head off to Italy in September to represent Australia at the World Life Saving Championships.
The competition included a range of events that provide lifesavers with an opportunity to develop and demonstrate their lifesaving skills.
Surf Life Saving Australia National Sport Manager Wayne Druery said that the Australian Pool Rescue Championships focused on the intricate nature of rescues.
"The SLSA Pool Champs are an opportunity for our surf lifesavers to finesse their rescue skills and techniques before the regular patrol season starts, so that they are always rescue ready," he said.
"The races are very technical and require a lot of training to get them absolutely perfect, this directly translates into their patrols on the beach, ensuring that they have the most up to date skills necessary to save lives."
City of Gold Coast Councillor, Brooke Patterson, said the skills and techniques shown at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre over the weekend were vital to the safety of residents and visitors to the city.
"Lifesaving is such an important sport for the Gold Coast. It really is about life and death and the safety of our residents and all those who visit the coast," she said.
Callum and Riley Brennan will fly to Riccione, Italy next month after being selected in the Australian Youth Lifesaving Team for the World Championships. The Championships will run from September 27 to October 2.
