SURF SPORTS STARS CONVERGE ON KURRAWA FOR AUSSIES 10

March 5: More than 7,500 competitors will converge on Kurrawa Beach on Queensland's Gold Coast from March 16-21 for The Whereis® Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.

The six-day surf sports extravaganza will attract surf lifesavers from every State in Australia who will contest 290 events from Ironman racing to surf boats and board rescue, surf swim, beach events and more.

Whereis® Aussies will see a return to Kurrawa for the first time since 2006 when the Championships spent three successful years at Scarborough Beach in WA.

Kurrawa hosted the Championships for 13 years from 1994 and became the spiritual home of the Championships.

Some of the biggest names in surf sports including Shannon Eckstein, Ky Hurst, Hugh Dougherty, Clint Robinson, Alicia Marriott, Hayley Bateup, Kristyl Smith, Liz Pluimers and Naomi Flood will be among the stars in action.

This year's theme of "Come Celebrate" will not only see a feast of fierce competition in the surf and on the beach but a host of free activities for families to enjoy away from the sand.

Clubs with mums and dads racing in Masters and with their own aspiring champions in tow will make the Gold Coast strip their home for a week.

They will all be chasing that elusive "Aussies" gold - a much sought after title that is worn as a badge of honour in surf lifesaving circles.

The celebration of a season of hard work and hard training at the end of a long season patrolling their beaches around Australia's coastline.

"The Aussies" is the largest event of its type in the world and Surf Life Saving Australia's General Manager of Sport Grant Baldock says there is something for everyone to enjoy.

"With entertainment both on and off the beach, the Aussies is the biggest event of its type in the world," Baldock said.

"This event is a true celebration of Aussie beach culture and sporting success and we'd encourage people to come along and help us celebrate."