After a spectacular opening ceremony on Saturday evening 9th May SLSNT hosted an action-packed 2009 Arafura Games with a week of coaching and development courses and lifesaving competition. 64 talented lifesavers (32 men & 32 women) represented 8 teams from Singapore Life Saving Society, National University of Singapore, Hong Kong, South Australia, SLSA Indigenous Squad, Junior Barras, Queensland Country and the Northern Territory. They competed in over 30 events at Casuarina Pool, Darwin Wave Lagoon, Mindil Beach and Casuarina Beach. The competition highlights included some very close finishes in the pool rescue events, swimming through rough surf in the new Darwin Wave Lagoon, night-time beach relay races at Mindil Beach on a track marked with glowsticks and exciting board, ski and Oceanman (Ironman) races at beautiful Casuarina Beach.
The NT team won silver medals in the Mens Beach Sprint & Beach Flags (John Brown) and the Board Rescue (Megan Gallagher & John Brown). Bronze medals were won in the Mens Beach Relay, Mens Oceanman Relay and Mens Surf Teams races (John Brown, Dale Frew, Josh Mitchener, Patrick Donohoe) and the Womens Beach Flags (Megan Gallagher).
Special thanks to our colleagues at Royal Lifesaving NT and Swimming NT for their help with the Pool Rescue events and to referees Peter Connell, Craig Croke and Roz Grey and the 29 accredited officials and workforce who ran the program of events and activities. |
At the medal ceremony at the Darwin Surf Life Saving Club on Saturday evening 16th May, and at the Closing Ceremony the following evening, it was clear that many new friendships had been forged and old friendships rekindled.
In the final pointscore it was the sensational Junior Barras (854 pts) who took out the Champion Team trophy ahead of a superbly talented Queensland Country team (793 pts) and the competition’s big improvers - Hong Kong (695 pts). The NT was 4th overall with 609 pts. All results are available on the Arafura Games website at www.arafuragames.nt.gov.au |
