Editing Surf lifesaving (section)

==History==
[[File:RedheadSurfLifsavingClub1908.jpg|right|thumb|1908 photograph of [[Redhead Surf Lifesaving Club]]]]

Surf lifesaving originated in Australia in 1907 in response to drownings at local beaches in Sydney. Such groups became necessary following the relaxing of laws prohibiting daylight bathing on Australian beaches.<ref name=Aust_SLSC>[http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/surflifesaving/ "Surf Life Saving – Stories from Australia's Culture and Recreation Portal"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060511163956/http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/surflifesaving/ |date=11 May 2006 }}. [Online], Commonwealth Government of Australia, 2006.</ref> Volunteer groups of men were trained in life saving methods and patrolled the beaches as [[lifesaving|lifesavers]] looking after public safety.

There had been some debate between [[Manly Life Saving Club]], [[Bronte Surf Lifesaving Club]] and [[Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club]] as to which was formed first.  After a panel of SLSA historians reviewed all the documentation provided by each club in 2005, SLSA agreed that they recognise Bondi as the first surf life saving club.  They stated "A hardy perennial in surf lifesaving history is the question of the first surf club – Bondi or Bronte. As this study has shown, the first group of organised lifesavers formed on Manly Beach in 1899. While moves on Bondi, Bronte and Manly in early 1907 saw the organisation of irregulars, it was the surf bathers of Bondi who first organised themselves as a formal club in February 1907".<ref>{{Cite book|title=Between the flags : one hundred summers of Australian surf lifesaving|author1=Jaggard, Edwin|year=2006 |publisher=UNSW Press|isbn=978-0-86840-897-2|publication-date=2006}}</ref> The Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club was officially established on 21 February 1907, at the [[Royal Hotel, Bondi|Royal Hotel]] in [[Bondi, New South Wales|Bondi]] – as was recorded in the newspaper ''[[The East Sydney Argus]]'', and in the [[Waverley Council]] minutes acknowledging receipt of a letter from the newly formed group.

On 10 October 1907, the Surf Bathing Association of [[New South Wales]] (SBANSW) was founded with nine clubs and affiliated associations. The nine "foundation" clubs were the [[Royal Life Saving Society]], [[Manly Surf Club]], Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club, Coogee Surf Life Brigade ([[Coogee Surf Life Saving Club]]), Bronte Surf Brigade (Bronte Surf Lifesaving Club), Bondi Surf and Social Club ([[North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club]]), Tamarama Surf Club (later disbanded, however nowadays [[Tamarama Surf Life Saving Club]]), Maroubra Surf Club ([[Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club]]), United Wanderers Surf Club, and Woollahra Surf Club. The first club outside of Sydney was [[Kiama, New South Wales|Kiama]] Surf Bather's Club, founded in 1908.

[[File:Men running in a chariot race at the Piha Surf Club carnival, (ca 1938) (4939013239).jpg|thumb|Chariot race, [[Piha Surf Club]] carnival, New Zealand c. 1938]]
The first [[Surf Lifesaving New Zealand|New Zealand Surf Lifesaving]] Clubs began in the years 1909 to 1910 leading off with: Castlecliff (Wanganui), Lyall Bay (Wellington), New Brighton (Christchurch) and Worser Bay (Wellington). Within the next few years other clubs started forming around five regions: Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Gisborne/Napier/New Plymouth and Wanganui.

In the northern region, [[Piha Surf Life Saving Club]] was founded in 1934 and as such is the oldest club on Auckland's west coast and is the home of [[Piha Rescue]].  Soon after the New Zealand clubs were formed, rivalry began to take place which created the forming of competition between the clubs and regions. By early 1912 competitions were being organised by Wellington's Maranui Club, with male members competing in squads of eight. The competitions consisted of a land drill and 'reel test'. The first New Zealand National Champs where clubs were able to compete was held in 1922.

The [[Surf Life Saving Great Britain]] (SLSGB) organisation was formed in 1955. [[Volunteering|Volunteer]] clubs patrolled beaches in England at [[Bude]] and [[St. Agnes, Cornwall|St. Agnes]] in [[Cornwall]] and at [[Brighton]], their aim to protect, rescue and [[resuscitate]] bathers.<ref name="SLSC_GB">{{Cite web|title=Our History|url=https://www.slsgb.org.uk/about-us/our-history/|access-date=2021-01-24|website=Surf Life Saving GB|date=13 October 2014 |language=en-US}}</ref> Voluntary organisations exist in Germany, such as [[DLRG]] and [[Wasserwacht]].