PRESS RELEASE: Coalcliff Surf Life Saving Club celebrates Dave Winner and the Dave Winner Foundation at ocean swim events next Sunday, March 9
Coalcliff Surf Life Saving Club celebrates Dave Winner and his remarkable recovery and his quest to see One Million Australians trained for free in CPR through the Dave Winner Foundation, with the staging of two marquee events on Sunday, March 9th, at Coalcliff Beach.
On Sunday, March 9th, Coalcliff SLSC will be staging the ‘The Dave Winner Beach to Bombie Swim’ and ‘The Dave Winner Lifeguard Challenge’. Equilibrium Healthcare and Ohana Ocean Athletics proudly sponsor both events.
At 11.15 am, The Dave Winner Lifeguard Challenge will take place.
This is an event where elite lifeguard teams from Sydney Northern Beaches, Waverley, Randwick, Sutherland Shire, Wollongong, and Shellharbour Councils will compete over a 2-kilometre ocean swim to claim the prize of the champion lifeguard team.
Rob Deacon, Club Captain of Coalcliff SLSC urges the community to “Come and see some of Australia’s finest ocean athletes fighting it out. This will be an incredible event. The lifeguards are excited to compete against each other. 2025 will be the first time every Lifeguard Council team from Palm Beach to Kiama will compete. Steve Winner, Dave’s son, led Sutherland Shire Council to victory last year, but the other teams are coming after them this year.”
At 12 noon, The Dave Winner Beach to Bombie Swim will take place.
The Dave Winner Beach to Bombie Swim is a popular public swim for 1.5 to 2 kilometres.
Rob Deacon says, “The Beach to Bombie Swim has been running at the club for 15 years and has been enjoyed by both competitive and recreational swimmers, who challenge themselves in this swim at one of Australia’s most beautiful locations. Like so many other ocean swims, the beauty of this swim is that we welcome swimmers of all abilities who simply love swimming in the ocean.”
A full surf lifesaving water safety team supports both events.
Dave Winner survived a near drowning and spinal injury while surfing at Coalcliff Beach that left him a partial quadriplegic in 2021. Rob reports, “Knocked unconscious and submerged underwater for more than three minutes, Dave’s life hung in the balance. Thanks to the swift actions of bystanders and their proficiency in CPR, Dave was rescued and airlifted to safety.”
Dave had trained one who applied CPR to Dave in CPR himself. As Dave had always said to his CPR classes during his many years as Coalcliff SLSC Chief Instructor, “One day, the life that you save may be mine!” That is exactly what happened.
Dave has been inspired by his own experience to establish the Dave Winner Foundation to help save lives.
If you wish to swim in the Dave Winner Beach to Bombie Swim, you can register and buy your entry ticket at the following link:
For more information about the Dave Winner Foundation, visit the website at: https://davewinnerfoundation.org/
Competitors and friends are invited to join Dave for lunch at Coledale RSL after the event, with one of Dave’s best mates, Pete Jordan, belting out some of Dave’s favourite tunes.
