Lap lanes swapped for Middleton Beach waves at swimming carnival for Australian Christian College Southlands

Lap lanes were swapped for the Middleton Beach ocean waves as students from Australian Christian College Southlands hosted its unique annual swimming carnival.

Years 7-12 students took part in a full day of surf-based events on March 20 designed to build confidence, fitness and essential coastal safety skills.

The swimming carnival combines on-shore training with key surf safety skills, including reading the ocean, spotting hazards and using surf and swimming boards.

Over the course of the day, the young athletes competed in a host of activities including the beach run, flag races, surf race, tug of war and more.

The activities were designed to promote confidence in the ocean while keeping the focus on teamwork, fun and physical wellbeing.

ACCS deputy principal, Fourie Jordaan said it was great to see the students having fun at the beach whilst learning important ocean skills at the same time.

“It’s wonderful to see our students competing hard but also cheering each other on — that spirit is what makes this event so special,” he said.

“Many of our students have a real love for the ocean, so giving them the skills and confidence to be safe and capable in the surf is something we take seriously.”