Lorne IRB Championships

MORE than 300 competitors from 20 clubs will be hitting the waves at high speed in Lorne this weekend for the TRE Motorsport Victorian IRB Championships.

Teams will race Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRBs) while fighting against the surf, swell and each other to take home top honours at the Victorian championship.

IRBs are a key part of lifesaving clubs’ rescue capability to keep the community safe in the water.

IRB competitions help keep volunteer lifesavers rescue-ready, and are an opportunity for them to demonstrate their extensive capabilities with the watercraft.

Life Saving Victoria (LSV) senior manager of aquatic sport Chris Schleusener wished all competitors best of luck for the competition and thanked volunteer officials who are helping to organise and run the championship.

“I want to thank all of our volunteer members who have given their time freely to make the Victorian IRB Championships happen. Without you, events like this simply don’t run,” Mr Schleusener said.

“We look forward to seeing competitors out on the water, and to watching some fantastic racing between our clubs.

“While only one team can be Victorian Champion, you all make incredible contributions to your clubs and communities by keeping people safe in the water. That is an accolade greater than any medal.”

The IRB Victorian Championships follow a series of IRB carnivals that have run at clubs across Victoria. IRB clubs can then go onto the Australian IRB Championships, which will be held at Miami Beach on the Gold Coast from July 18 to 22.

Local competing clubs include:

Ocean Grove

Barwon Heads 13th Beach

Fairhaven

Point Lonsdale

Anglesea

Wye River

Lorne, and

Bancoora.

For more information on LSV’s IRB events, head to lsv.com.au