Nova Scotia Surf League's Third Season Begins

SPORT/RECREATION COMMISSION--Nova Scotia Surf League's Third
Season Begins

A competition of life-saving proportions begins Tuesday, June 25, as the Nova Scotia Surf League gets its third season under way. The first round of competition this year is in Pictou County's Melmerby Beach with a two-kilometre beach run.

"Surf lifesaving is a multi-discipline sport, involving many different skills and techniques used by lifeguards," said Craig Durling, Surf League commissioner. "Events will be both individual and team-oriented, and will range from single-discipline events such as swimming and running to multi-discipline events such as the iron-guard and run-swim- run events."

The league competition is a circuit on which clubs compete. Clubs accumulate points in each round with the total contributing to the overall title. Points scored by competitors are also tracked to award individual high-point winners.

Mr. Durling says the level of competition for the season is very high. He expects that will help raise the profile of the event.

"We want to build interest in the sport and increase Nova Scotia's awareness of the league," he said.

Several members of the Canadian National Lifesaving Team are Nova Scotians and avid competitors in the competition circuit. Among them are Neal Durling of Prospect, Mike Smith and Lori Borgal of Halifax and Jason Cross, Canadian national team captain, of Eastern Passage, all in Halifax Regional Municipality.

This is the Surf League's third season of competition in surf lifesaving, and about 100 people are expected to participate. As a new feature of the competition this year, individuals who do not belong to a Surf League club can compete in open events.

The four rounds of competition will be held a Melmerby Beach, Pictou Co., June 25; Risser's Beach, Lunenburg Co., July 16; Inverness Beach, Inverness Co., July 30; Lawrencetown Beach, Halifax Regional Municipality, Aug. 13.

All events begin at 2 p.m.