Beachgoers at Alexandra Headland will be glad to know they have the two best lifesavers in the country on hand.
Brad Doughan and Michael White have shared the title of Australian Champion Lifesaver during the past seven years, while representing Alexandra Headland Surf Life Saving Club.
They’ve forged a friendship, and competitiveness, like no other.
“It’s a really good rivalry but it gets a bit tough on race day, being best mates with a bloke you’ve got to go toe-to-toe with,” Doughan said.
“But at the end of the day we share a beer and have a yarn and get along really well.”
Doughan won this year’s title at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, finishing just ahead of White at their home club.
The former has won four of the past seven editions, while the latter has won the other three.
“I’ve managed to tip the scales in my favour,” Doughan said.
But he considers White the greatest.
“He has been doing surf rescue events for 20 years and he’s won Champion Lifesaver seven times,” he said.
“I think most people consider him to be the best lifesaver this country has ever seen.
The Champion Lifesaver is considered the true test of a lifesaver, giving competitors ‘the opportunity to demonstrate in a competitive manner the physical, lifesaving and knowledge skills required of a lifesaver.’
They undertake a theory exam, resuscitation and patient assessment and physical events including tube rescue and board race.
“It’s definitely not on the glamorous side and doesn’t get the air-time some of the other events do (like ironman),” Doughan said.
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“’And we’re not the physical athletes like some of the others running around this week.
“But this is the traditional side of lifesaving where we have that core focus on lifesaving skills and drowning prevention.
“We’re tested on our knowledge and we also complete four races, to show we have some physical prowess.”
Doughan said the theory component was the most difficult.
“You’ve got study the techniques and understand the concepts and that differentiates the higher-level guys from the good guys.
“It’s something you have to do in your own time. People don’t see the hard work that goes in, but it is probably the most important. You have to study and have some brain power as well.”
Doughan has been involved in the event for the past 10 years, competing in the open ranks for the past seven.
He’s a regular patrol member at Alexandra Headland and also works for the Sunshine Coast lifeguard service.
The skills he’s learned has provided crucial assistance to some swimmers.
“There’s been a couple of cases where I’ve been able to put them into practice,” he said.
“Your primary focus though is drowning prevention and if you can stop it from getting to the stage where someone has to be rescued, that’s most important.
“But I’ve had to do a few rescues and a couple of touch and go ones. But fortunately, I’ve never had to do a resuscitation or anything too extreme.
“It’s awesome knowing that if something happens on the beach and you are required to jump into action you know exactly what to do and how to handle yourself and to stay calm.
“You know the person you’re going to look after, and their family members are in good hands.”
A high school physics and maths teacher at Siena Catholic College, the 26-year-old lives 50m from Alexandra Headland beach.
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“I get to wake up and check the surf by opening the curtains,” he said.
Meanwhile, White said this year’s Champion Lifesaver event was probably his last.
“Competing at that level is a big commitment and it’s been a huge part of my life, and I’m entering a new phase where I’m going to have other priorities, both personally and professionally,” he said.
“I’ve also captained the (Alexandra Headland patrol) team for more than a decade, and it’s time to pass on that opportunity to Brad and the rest of the team to afford them the opportunity to gain that experience for themselves and keep things moving forward.
“The club and team is in an amazing place at the moment, and I’ve achieved everything I could have ever hoped for in the event, so I think it’s just time to look to the future and other ways I can continue to give back to a sport and a movement that’s given me so much.”
He started lifesaving events 20 years ago as a nipper at Bundaberg, before moving to the Sunshine Coast.
“When I was 14, I got my bronze medallion and got to go on patrol,” he reflected.
“That’s when I got my first exposure to the more hands-on elements.”
The lifesaving event quickly become his favourite.
“There’s the practical resuscitation element and theoretical questions around lifesaving and emergency care and treating patients at the beach.”
“It’s the closest we get to testing all-round skills of lifesavers on patrols and I fell in love with it straight away.”
He’s been called into action on several occasions.
“People do get into trouble from time to time,” he said.
White’s became an expert not just in competition, but in real life situations.
He started with beach patrols, graduated to jet ski patrols and is now a helicopter rescue swimmer.
He’s called on by several other groups as a water safety consultant, including for television shows.
And he’s helped start a lifesaving competition in Japan.
“It (Champion Lifesaver) has been a great foundation for me to build skills and apply them in real life, either to save lives or help other organisations look after their people.”
He’s also a barrister.
The day after competing for the national title, he was back in the chambers.
“That’s my day job. Lifesaving is on the side and it’s something I’m exceptionally passionate about.
“It’s kind of like my second career and it’s such a big part of the culture on the Sunshine Coast.”
The 33-year-old Cotton Tree resident reflects on his seven titles with fondness.
“It’s not a bad record, I guess. I can look back on it and I’m quite proud of it,” he said.
“Win, lose or draw, it’s made me a better lifesaver.”
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He congratulated Doughan on his win.
“He had a really good day and deserved the victory. I’ve got a bit pride too because he came through the ranks with the surf rescue team we’ve built at Alex.
“We have pushed each other to make each other better lifesavers.”
Alexandra Headland also won their sixth straight patrol team title this week.
The event consisted of six team-members assessed on theory and in patrol situations on the beach, with mock rescues testing their physical capabilities as well as their skills and knowledge.
“I’m finishing up and some of the other team members might be too. But It’s been an amazing team,” White said.
Club’s young talent
Dicky Beach’s Elsie Shrapnel claimed gold in the under-15 Champion Lifesaver event at the youth championships recently.
Club-mates Will Doherty and Samantha Hutton also displayed their skills and knowledge, snaring bronze in under-15 and under-17 respectively.
Open competition warms up
Olympic kayakers Riley Fitzsimmons and Lachlan Tame were among the stars on the beach for the opening day of open competition at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships on Tuesday.
Already selected for the Tokyo Olympic Games, Fitzsimmons and Tame teamed up with Peter Mitchell to successfully defend their Open Ski Relay title for Avoca Beach SLSC, claiming one of the first gold medals on offer.
Fitzsimmons’ partner and Nutri-Grain IronWoman Goergia Miller also enjoyed the first day of competition, teaming up with fellow Ironwoman Hannah Sculley and BMD Northcliffe team mate Mackenzie Duffy to take out the Female Open Ski Relay.
Miller earlier in the day cruised through the Open Ironwoman heats as she looks to defend her Australian ironwoman crown. Reigning Nutri-Grain Ironman Champion Ali Day (Surfers Paradise) is in red hot form, hoping to claim the elusive Australian Ironman crown for the first time.
Alexandra Headland’s Lana Rogers, the reigning Ironwoman Series and Coolangatta Gold champion, finished fifth in her heat to earn a berth in the next round.
