For the first time in its 80-year history, the Australian Life Saving Team (ALT) will have two open capped representative teams competing on the same weekend.

The DHL International Surf Rescue Challenge (New Zealand) and the Orange Cup (The Netherlands) will both run over 2–3 December 2017, closely following the German Cup held less than a week before.

For ALT pool athletes the German Cup (25-26 November) and the Orange Cup (2-3 December) are a chance to test themselves against the best in the world, backing up a medal winning performance at The World Games in Poland earlier this year.

The Pool Rescue athletes selected to take on the German Cup and Orange Cup will include six athletes from Australia’s Rescue 2016 Team, including Captain Tim Schofield, and vice-Captain Pamela Hendry. Joining them from last year’s national team will be fellow Maroochydore athletes Chelsea Gillett and Sam Bell, along with Currumbin duo Prue Davies and Matt Davis.

ALT Head Coach Kurt Wilson said he is excited for the opportunity to compete at a high-level international competition.

“The German Cup and Orange Cup in the Netherlands offers two high-level racing opportunities to don the green and gold cap and test ourselves against the world’s best,” he said.

“We want and send a strong message to the lifesaving world of what lies ahead of them when they arrive in Adelaide for Lifesaving World Championships in November 2018.”

Mariah Jones’ selection continues her Life Saving World Championships 2018 (LWC 2018) resurgence, and she will be joined by young guns Rachel Wood, Tom Montgomery and Jake Smith.

Wood returned home from the New Zealand Pool Rescue Championships recently with a Youth World Record, breaking teammate Prue Davies’ previous World Record in the 200m Super Lifesaver.

The announcement of the DHL International Surf Rescue Team in September highlighted the Australian Life Saving Team’s youth movement, with Nicole Kay, Jemma Smith and Lizzie Welborn all jumping into the open Australian Life Saving Team.

ALT head coach Kurt Wilson said it will be an opportunity to showcase the squads talent.

“From a squad perspective having our pool athletes in Europe along with our water and beach athletes forming a star-studded line up in New Zealand showcases the abundance of talent and depth across the ALT as a whole,” he said.

With the LWC 2018 team to be announced in May 2018, the DHL International Surf Rescue Challenge, along with the German and Orange Cup events will prove pivotal for selection.

The German and Orange Cup teams will depart from Brisbane, Tuesday 21st November prior to their two weekends of racing.