Surf Life Saving Australia
Surf Sports Manual 37th Edition — July 2025
July 2025
Table of Contents
Surf Life Saving Australia
Surf Sports Manual 37th Edition — July 2025
Surf Sports Manual 37th Edition — July 2025
Introduction
Section 1 Competition Safety
1.1 Preliminary
1.2 Safety Operations Manual
1.2.1 Objectives
1.2.2 Initiation of the Plan
1.2.3 Medical and First Aid
1.2.4 Water Safety
1.2.5 Emergency Vehicle(s)
1.2.6 Major Incidents
1.2.7 Emergency Services
1.2.8 Logistics
1.3 Competition Safety Assessment
1.4 Surf Risk Rating (SRR) System
1.5 Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
1.6 Competition Contingency Plan
1.6.1 Potential Threats
1.6.2 Weather Forecasting
1.6.3 The Chain of Command and Decision Making
1.6.4 Alternative Locations – Contingencies
1.6.5 Aim and Principles of Relocation
1.6.6 Outline Plan
1.6.7 Reconnaissance of Alternative Locations and Assessment of Conditions
1.6.8 Relocation Timings and Early Warning
1.6.9 Key Officials Required at the Alternative Location
1.6.10 Movement of Competition Officials
1.6.11 Movement of Safety and Rescue Personnel and Equipment
1.6.12 Movement of Administration and Competition/Championship Equipment
1.6.13 Movement of Competitors and their Equipment
1.6.14 Action in the event of Death or Serious Injury
1.6.15 Provision of Counselling Services
1.7 SLSA Members’ Health
1.8 No Reliance
Appendix A – Sample Event Safety Guide Worksheet
Appendix B – Sample Referee Pre-Competition Checklist
Appendix C – Sample Disaster Plan – Major Incident
Appendix D – Authority for Suspension/Relocation/Cancellation of Competition
Appendix E – Contingency options – Major Competition Event Prioritisation Table
Appendix F – Pool Risk Assessment Worksheet
Section 2 – General Competitive Conditions
2.1 SLSA Competitions
2.2 Competition Eligibility
2.2.1 Competition Qualification
2.2.2 Awards, Patrol and Service Obligations
2.2.3 Dual Membership
2.2.4 Competitive Transfers
2.2.4.1 Domestic Competitive Transfers
2.2.4.2 International Competitive Transfers and Competition
2.2.4.3 Membership Clearance and Process
2.3 Competition Season, Ages, Categories and Provisos
2.3.1 Competition Season
2.3.2 Determining Age Groups
2.3.3 Age Groups/Gender
2.3.4 Participation in Individual and Team Events
2.3.5 Under 8 to Under 14 Years
2.3.6 Under 15 Years
2.3.7 Under 17 Years
2.3.8 Under 19 Years
2.3.9 Under 21 Years
2.3.10 Under 23 Years
2.3.11 Open
2.3.12 Senior
2.3.13 Masters (30 years plus)
2.3.14 Handlers
2.3.15 Female/Male Only Events and Gender Guidelines
2.4 Competitors with Disabilities
2.5 Dress of Competitors
2.5.1 Costumes, Dress and Style
2.5.2 Caps and Helmets
2.5.3 Colours
2.5.4 Identification
2.6 Sponsor Identification
2.7 Gear Specifications and Usage
2.7.1 Gear and Equipment Must Conform to Current Specifications
2.7.2 Use of Communication Devices in SLSA Competition
2.7.3 Use of Video Camera Devices Attached to Competitors
2.7.4 Use of Video Camera on Surf Boards and Surf Skis
2.7.5 Use of Video Cameras on Surf Boats
2.7.6 Use of Video Camera on Inshore Rescue Boats (IRB)
2.8 Scrutineering
2.9 Competition Arena/Area
2.10 Competition Definitions
2.10.1 Individual Events
2.10.2 Team Events
2.10.3 General
2.11 Beach Positions
2.12 Setting of Competition Courses
2.13 Draws
2.14 Competitor Limitations
2.15 Starting Times
2.16 Reporting
2.17 Marshalling
2.18 Substitution of Competitors
2.19 Starting of Events
2.20 Completion of Courses
2.21 Change-over (tagging) in Relay Events
2.22 Finish of Events
2.23 Time Limits
2.24 Dead Heats
2.25 Participants, Medals, Trophies and Pointscores
2.26 Breach of Rules
2.27 SLSA Code of Behaviour
2.27.1 General
2.27.2 Code of Fair Play
2.27.2.1 SLSA will:
2.27.2.2 SLSA Officials will:
2.27.2.3 Competitors will:
2.27.2.4 Team Managers and Coaches will:
2.27.2.5 Supporters and Spectators will:
2.28 Abuse/Inappropriate Behaviour
2.29 Competing Unfairly
2.30 Luck of Prevailing Conditions
2.31 Start and Finish of Competition
Appendix A – Transgender Gender Diverse, Inclusion Athlete Guidelines
Section 3 – Lifesaving Events
3.1 General
3.2 Rescue & Resuscitation
3.3 Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) Competition
3.3.1 Introduction
3.3.2 General Conditions
3.3.2.1 Safety Essentials
3.3.2.2 Pre Carnival Safety Briefing
3.3.2.3 Safety and Technical Infringements
3.3.2.4 Competitor Pre-Requisites
3.3.2.5 Entry Limitations
3.3.2.6 Equipment Requirements, Scrutineering and Compliance
3.3.2.7 The Course
3.3.2.8 Course Variations
3.3.2.9 Administration and Officials
3.3.3 Procedure
3.3.3.1 Placing of Patients
3.3.3.2 Preparing for the Start
3.3.3.3 The Start
3.3.3.4 Proceed To and From Buoys
3.3.3.5 The Turn and Patient Pickup
3.3.3.6 The Exit and Finish
3.3.3.7 The Changeover (Mass, Teams and Relay Events Only)
3.3.4 IRB Events – Description
3.3.4.1 Event No. 1 – IRB Rescue Tube
3.3.4.2 Event No. 2 – IRB Mass Rescue
3.3.4.3 Event No. 3 – IRB Teams Rescue
3.3.4.4 Event No.4 – IRB Rescue
3.3.4.5 Event No. 5 – IRB Relay
3.3.5 Disqualifications
Appendix A – Typical Inflatable Rescue Boat Competition Area
3.4 Champion Lifesaver
3.4.1 Aim
3.4.2 Equipment
3.4.3 Uniforms
3.4.4 Procedure
3.4.5 Physical Skills
3.4.6 Questionnaire
3.4.7 Practical Resuscitation
3.4.8 Ties Scores
3.5 Champion Patrol
3.5.1 Aim
3.5.2 General
3.5.3 Uniforms
3.5.4 Equipment
3.5.5 Team (Patrol) Competition
3.5.6 Substitution of Competitors
3.5.7 Patrol Competition Format
3.5.8 Surf Teams
3.5.9 Board/Tube Rescue Relay Race
3.5.10 Theory
3.5.11 Practical Resuscitation
3.5.12 Scenario Task
3.5.13 Tied Scores
3.6 First Aid Competition
3.6.1 General Conditions
3.6.2 Aim
3.6.3 Nature of First Aid Competition
3.6.4 Composition of Teams
3.6.5 Competitors’ Dress
3.6.6 Competition in Other Events
3.6.7 Judging of the Competition
3.6.8 Competition Administration and Officials Control
3.6.9 Sectional Referee
3.6.10 The Judges
3.6.11 The Marshall
3.6.12 The Isolation Judge
3.6.13 Casualties
3.6.14 Bystanders
3.6.15 Competition Area
3.6.16 Presentation, Diagnosis and Treatment of Casualties
3.6.17 Release of Competitors
3.6.18 Results
Appendix B – Champion Lifesaver Practical Resuscitation
Appendix C – Champion Patrol Practical Resuscitation
Appendix D – Contents First Aid Kit
Appendix E – Open Champion Patrol Competition – Scenario/Task Assessment Guide
Appendix F – U17 Champion Patrol Competition – Scenario/Task Assessment Guide
Section 4 – Swimming Events
4.1 General Conditions
4.2 Surf Race
4.2.1 The Course
4.2.2 Procedure
4.3 Surf Race Variations
4.3.1 Surf Teams Race
4.4 Ocean Swim
4.4.1 The Course
4.4.2 Procedure Ocean Swim
4.4.3 Finish
4.5 Belt Race
4.5.1 The Course
4.5.2 Procedure
4.6 Rescue Tube Rescue Race (4 Person)
4.6.1 The Course
4.6.2 Procedure
4.7 Rescue Tube Race (2 person)
4.7.1 General Conditions
4.7.2 The Course
4.7.3 Procedure
4.8 Rescue Tube Race
4.8.1 General Conditions
4.8.2 The Course
4.8.3 Procedure
4.9 Run-Swim-Run
4.9.1 The Course
4.9.2 Procedure
4.10 Wading Race
4.10.1 The Course
4.10.2 Procedure
4.11 Wading Relay
4.11.1 The Course
4.11.2 Procedure
Appendix A – Surf Reel, Line & Belt Specifications
Section 5 – Surf Boat Events
5.1 General Conditions
5.2 Surf Boat Racing
5.2.1 The Course
5.2.2 Pre-Start
5.2.3 The Start
5.2.4 The Seaward Journey
5.2.5 The Turn
5.2.6 The Return Journey
5.2.7 The Finish
5.3 Racing Format
5.4 Short Course Boat Event
5.4.1 Short Course Rules
5.5 Surf Boat Relay
5.5.1 Procedure
5.5.2 Equipment
5.5.3 Course
5.5.4 Start
5.5.5 Change Over’s Between Relay Legs
5.5.6 Boat Management
5.5.7 Boat Roll Overs
5.5.8 Finish
5.6 Penalties and Disqualifications
Appendix A – Round Robin Boat Racing Procedures
Appendix B – Surf Boat Usage Policy (as taken from SLSA Policy 1.02)
Section 6 – Surf Ski & Surf Board Events
6.1 General Conditions
6.2 Single Ski Races
6.2.1 The Course
6.2.2 Procedure
6.3 Double Ski Races
6.3.1 The Course
6.3.2 Procedure
6.4 Surf Board Races
6.4.1 The Course
6.4.2 Procedure
6.5 Surf Board/Surf Ski Relay
6.5.1 General Conditions
6.5.2 The Course
6.5.3 Procedure
6.5.4 Variation of Course and Procedure for Masters Age Groups
Appendix A – Surf Board Usage
Section 7 – Surfboard Riding Events
7.1 General Conditions
7.2 The Course
7.3 Procedures
7.3.1 Conditions
7.3.2 Draws and Seeding
7.3.3 Marshalling and Walk Throughs
7.3.4 Preparing for the Start
7.3.5 Starting and Time Keeping
7.3.6 Surfing
7.3.7 Finish
7.3.8 Riding Time
7.3.9 Points Allocation
7.3.10 Number of Rides
7.4 Judging Criteria
7.4.1 Short Board Wave Riding Criteria
7.4.2 Long Board Wave Riding Criteria
7.4.3 Judging Philosophy
7.4.4 Scoring
7.4.5 Judging Panel and Wave Tabulation
7.4.6 Missed Ride by Judges
7.4.7 Interference
7.4.8 Equal Points
7.5 Surf Board Variations
7.5.1 Surf Board Teams Riding
Section 8 – Multi-Discipline Events
8.1 General Conditions
8.2 Ironman and Ironwoman
8.2.1 General
8.2.2 The Course
8.2.3 The Procedure
8.2.4 Ironman and Ironwoman Variations
8.2.4.1 Masters Ironman and Ironwoman
8.2.4.2 U11 – U17 Ironman and Ironwoman
8.2.4.3 Ironman, Ironwoman and Ocean M Eliminator Events.
8.3 Six Person Taplin Relay
8.3.1 General Conditions
8.3.2 The Course
8.3.3 Procedure
8.3.4 Taplin Relay Variations
8.4 Lifesaver Relay
8.4.1 General Conditions
8.4.2 The Course
8.4.3 Procedure
8.5 Ocean M
8.5.1 Event Description
8.5.2 Starting Positions
8.5.3 Craft Management/Handling
8.5.4 The Course
8.5.5 Equipment
8.5.6 Judging
8.5.7 Contact with Craft
8.6 Ocean M Lifesaver Relay
8.6.1 Event Description
8.6.2 The Course
8.6.3 Course Variations
8.7 Cameron Relay
8.7.1 General Conditions
8.7.2 The Course
8.7.3 Procedure
8.7.4 Cameron Relay Variations
8.8 Surf Board Rescue Race
8.8.1 General Conditions
8.8.2 The Course
8.8.3 Procedure
Section 9 – Beach Events
9.1 Beach Sprint
9.1.1 The Course
9.1.2 Procedure
9.1.3 Judging
9.2 Beach Relay
9.2.1 The Course
9.2.2 Procedure
9.2.3 Judging/Change Over
9.3 All Age Beach Relay
9.3.1 The Course
9.3.2 Procedure
9.4 Beach Flags
9.4.1 The Course
9.4.2 General Conditions
9.4.3 Competing for Flags/Deliberate Impedance
9.4.4 Effect of Elimination and Disqualification
9.4.5 Procedure
9.4.6 The Start
9.4.7 Judging
9.5 2KM Beach Run
9.5.1 The Course
9.5.2 Procedure
9.5.3 Equipment and Apparel
9.5.4 Course Variation
9.6 2KM Beach Run Relay
9.6.1 The Course
9.6.2 Procedure
9.6.3 Equipment and Apparel
9.6.4 Course Variation
Section 10 – March Past Event
10.1 General Conditions
10.1.1 Procedure
10.1.2 Formation
10.1.3 Team Commands
10.2 Drill Procedures
10.2.1 Marching
10.2.2 Quick Marching
10.2.3 Marking Time
10.2.4 Halting
10.2.5 Standing at Ease
10.2.6 Standing at Attention
10.2.7 Wheeling
10.3 Marshalling and Course
10.3.1 Marshalling of Teams
10.3.2 Colour Party
10.3.3 Incomplete Teams
10.3.4 Course
10.3.5 Wheeling Points
10.3.6 Halting
10.3.7 Parading
10.3.8 Exit
10.4 Judging and Fault Allocations
10.4.1 Judges
10.5 Section Procedures and Judging
10.5.1 Time and Step
10.5.2 Arm Swing
10.5.3 Wheeling
10.5.4 Leg Action
10.5.5 Spacing and Dressing
10.5.6 Covering
10.5.7 Body Carriage and Presentation
10.5.8 Length of Pace
Section 11 – Pool Rescue Events
11.1 General
11.2 Australian Pool Rescue Record
11.3 Special Conditions for SLSA Competitors
11.3.1 Swim Fins Specifications for U13 and Under Age Category Events
11.3.2 Swim Fins Specifications for U14 and Over Age Category Events
11.3.3 Rubber Bricks Specifications for U13 and Under Age Category Events
11.4 Specific SLSA Event Rules
11.4.1 50m Swim with Fins
11.4.2 50m Brick Carry
11.4.3 50m Manikin Carry (35m carry distance)
11.4.4 10m Line Throw
11.4.5 100m Patient Tow with Fins
11.4.6 4×25m Brick Relay
Section 12 – Competition and Administration
12.1 Conducting Competitions and Events
12.2 Competition Calendar
12.3 Administration
12.3.1 Organising Committee
12.3.2 Competition Committee
12.3.3 Safety and Emergency Committee
12.3.4 Competition Officials
12.3.5 General
12.3.6 Team Events
12.3.7 SLSA Permission to enter Competitions
12.3.8 Competitions and/or displays conducted by other organisations
12.3.9 Late Entries/Additional Entries
12.4 Trophies, Prizes and Eligibility
12.5 Officials’ and Competitors’ Oaths
12.5.1 Officials’ Oath
12.5.2 Competitors’ Oath
12.6 Buoy Layout Diagrams
12.6.1 Layout of a Typical Surf Carnival
12.6.2 Craft Buoy Line and Anchor Specification
12.6.3 General Arrangement of 9 Swimming Buoys, Lines and Anchors
12.6.4 General Arrangement of 4 Swimming Buoys, Lines and Anchors
12.6.5 General Arrangement of Boat Buoys, Lines and Anchors
12.6.6 Typical Craft Finishing Poles and Metal Bases
Section 13 – Officials and Their Duties
13.1 Appointments
13.2 Application for Appointment
13.3 Notification of Appointments
13.4 Dress of Competition Officials
13.5 Committees and Officials
13.6 Organising Committee
13.7 Competition Committee
13.8 Safety and Emergency Committee
13.9 Competition Disciplinary Committee
13.10 Competition Appeals Panel
13.11 Appeals Committee Convener
13.12 Referee
13.13 Deputy Referee
13.14 Area Referee
13.15 Sectional Referee
13.16 Referee Steward
13.17 Competition Liaison Personnel
13.18 Course Supervisor(s)
13.19 Scrutineer Coordinator
13.20 Gear and Equipment Coordinator
13.21 Announcing Coordinator
13.22 Judges
13.22.1 General
13.22.2 Chief Judges
13.22.3 Finish Judges
13.22.4 Lane Judges (IRBs)
13.22.5 Course Judges
13.22.6 Specialist Judges
13.22.7 Electronic Device Specialist Judges
13.22.8 Timekeeping Judges
13.22.9 Recording Judges
13.23 Starter
13.24 Check Starter
13.25 Marshall
13.26 Check Marshall
13.27 Presentation Steward
13.28 Safety and Emergency Management Coordinator (SEMC)
13.29 Area Risk and Response Officers (ARRO’S)
13.30 Power Craft Coordinator
13.31 Water Safety Coordinator
13.32 Water Safety Personnel
13.33 Communications Coordinator
13.34 Medical/First Aid Coordinator
13.35 Course Statistician
Appendix A – Competition administration and officials’ organisation flow chart
Section 14 – Protests, Appeals and Discipline
14.1 Conduct and Discipline Generally
14.2 Penalties
14.3 Protests
14.3.1 Protect Categories
14.3.2 Lodging a Protest
14.3.3 Protest Adjudication
14.4 Competition Appeals Committee
14.4.1 Powers
14.4.2 Structure and Functions
14.5 Competition Disciplinary Committee
14.5.1 Purpose and Powers
14.5.2 Structure and Functions
14.5.3 Procedure
14.6 SLSA Protest Form
4.9.1 The Course
The course shall be as detailed in the diagram.
FIGURE 8 - RUN–SWIM–RUN
4.9 Run-Swim-Run
4.9.2 Procedure
FIGURE 8 - RUN–SWIM–RUN
FIGURE 8 - RUN–SWIM–RUN