Victorian Junior State Championships 2023
March 27, 2023
Aussies 2023
May 4, 2023
Campbell Wilson-Moran Shines at Pool Rescue Australian Championships
As the summer season draws to a close, the winter pool lifesaving season kicks off. New Bronzie Campbell Wilson-Moran is leading the way for our members to come and try their hand in pool rescue events, learning new lifesaving skills, whilst staying fit and connected with teammates in the off season. Already a national backstroke champion Campbell represented Life Saving Victoria at the Australian Pool Life Saving Championships, and racing at his first ever pool lifesaving competition, came away with eight national medals, including five gold medals and national championship titles. Well done Campbell!! Portsea is extremely proud to have you representing our club, in state teams, and on the national stage.
Away from the surf beaches of summer, there is another facet of lifesaving that Portsea members have embraced. Known as ‘pool lifesaving’ by the Royal Life Saving Society, and ‘pool rescue’ by the Surf Life Saving Association, the competition events are the same, and governed by International Lifesaving Federation Rules of Competition. Touring as the doctor for the Australian Life Saving Team competing at the 2023 World Life Saving Championships, I was lucky enough to be poolside watching the best in the world, including Australian swimming superstar Lani Pallister, competing in a whole new lifesaving competition arena that Portsea members had yet to embrace. That was about to change…
Back home, Life Saving Victoria was calling for swimmers to come and try pool lifesaving for the upcoming Australian Pool Life Saving Championships that were to be held in Melbourne in January 2023. The call went out to our Portsea swimmers. Five of our best attended Sunday training sessions at MSAC, with Campbell Wilson Moran being selected in the LSV Victorian Team to compete at the National Championships. It was a three-month long steep learning curve – diving for and towing manikins, throwing ropes, donning fins at lightening fast speeds and swimming under barriers, plus CPR and mock search and rescue scenarios. The races are technical and require precision skills. Disqualifications are common amongst novice racers. Campbell has come through our Portsea Junior Competition Team and recently attained his Bronze on our December Camp. He is already a national backstroke champion in the pool which set him up to race fast. At the end of the three-day national lifesaving competition, he found himself on the podium multiple times, and five-time National Champion.
GOLD – Mens U16 200m Obstacles
GOLD – Mixed U19 4x50m Obstacle Relay
GOLD – Mens U16 100m Manikin Carry
GOLD – Mixed U16 4x25m Manikin Carry Relay
GOLD – Mens U16 100m CPR
SILVER – Mens U16 200m Superlifesaver (the pool equivalent of the ironman race)
BRONZE – Mixed U19 4x25m Manikin Carry Relay
BRONZE – Mens U16 50m Manikin Carry
Success in pool lifesaving rescue events is a pathway onto an Australian Lifesaving Team and we wish Campbell well in his swimming and lifesaving endeavours.