Editing Surf lifesaving (section)

==Competition==
The other key part of surf life saving is the competitive sport which evolved from the training activities of lifesavers at Australian and New Zealand surf beaches, though most events share little with modern [[inflatable rescue boat]] (IRB) based surf rescue techniques.  The sport is still based on volunteer clubs which perform rescue duty, from children in the "nippers" category through to professional elite circuits that have been established for the high-profile "ironman" events. The sport is still mainly in Australia and New Zealand. However, the [[Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service]] in Canada has run the [[Nova Scotia Surf League]] competitions every summer since 2000, and competition programs exist in five regions of Canada. In Europe the sport is increasingly developed, with Italy, Spain and Germany particularly strong and the UK, the Netherlands and Ireland developing rapidly.

Surf life saving clubs regularly hold [[surf carnival]]s where clubs compete with each other in a range of beach- and rescue-oriented events including combined swimming and running, [[surf ski]] and [[surf boat]] races.  The youth arm of the clubs is known as [[Nippers]], and holds similar events.

The various events involve elements of surf swimming, board riding, sand running, mock rescues using rowed surf boats, and paddling special [[kayak]]-like [[surf skis]].  Some events are for individuals, but many are team events.

Individual surf lifesaving events include:
*[[Ironman (surf lifesaving)|Ironman]]
*[[Long boat rescue]] (also called surf boat rescue)
*R&R (rescue & resuscitation)
*[[March Past]]
*Beach events (including beach sprints, beach relays, and [[Beach Flags (sport)|beach flags]])
*[[Surfski|Surf ski]]
* First aid competition, champion lifesaver and patrol competition
*Board events
*[[IRB racing]]

Individual surf life saving clubs compete at the state and national levels at the annual State Championships and [[Australian Surf Life Saving Championships]] where around 450 events are run over nine days of competition with over 6,000 competitors from around Australia and internationally.