The Australian Surf Rowers League completed a successful two-year partnership with the Royal Australian Navy. Over 550 crews from around Australia participated in the 2010-2011 Navy Premiership League, which culminated in the 2011 Navy Australian Open Championship in Wollongong, NSW. The event saw over 300 crews compete across several divisions. The Open Men's title was won by Bilgola Gold, NSW, while Avoca, NSW won the Open Women's. The inaugural Trans-Tasman Women's Challenge between Australia and New Zealand was won by Mooloolaba, QLD.

1. AUSTRALIAN SURF ROWERS LEAGUE 2011 EVENT REPORT

2. A PARTNERSHIP WITH MUTUAL VALUES The Australian Surf Rowers League has just completed a proud 2 year partnership with the Royal Australian Navy which has been embraced by the surf lifesaving community all around Australia and together we look forward to continued relationships for many years to come. The sport of surf rowing requires effective team work and a high level of fitness, two attributes of the Royal Australian Navy. Our sport is an ideal means to promote the healthy ideals of the Royal Australian Navy The Australian Surf Rowers League and its members provide an important community service by conducting Surf Lifesaving duties, beach patrols on many Australian beaches. The partnership alliance aims to increase public understanding of Navy and the importance of the Navy values. Honour, Honesty, Courage, Integrity and Loyalty.

3. SUMMER 2010 – 2011 NAVY ON BEACH AND AT SEA In the Summer of 2010 -2011 The Navy National Premiership Leaguehas given the Australian Surf Rowers League the opportunity to showcase the sport of surf boat racing around the nation, every state activated their own Navy Premiership Series events with valued media support by the Navy. … it all culminated in February at the 2011 Navy Australian Open Surf Boat Championship in Wollongong NSW In the summer of 2010 -2011 the Navy Premiership League was staged across 22 event days at beach venues around Australia covering all states (QLD / NSW / VIC/ TAS /SA / WA). All beach event venues were branded Navy to maximise strong recognition with additional support locations promoting Defence Recruitment displays. Nationally over 550 crews participated (2750 competitors) from around the coastline of Australia donning their Navy branded singlet's.

4. NAVY LAUNCH – NOBBY’S BEACH NEWCASTLE NSW The State of New South Wales was chosen as the official launch of the 2010-2011 Navy Australian Surf Rowers League Premiership Season. Commanding Officer of HMAS Newcastle, Commander Anthony Campbell and President of the ASRL, Bert Hunt launched the season and dual partnership. A Navy AS 350BA Squirrel helicopter from 723 Squadron conducted a flyover at the launch. Commander Anthony Campbell said.. The Australian Surf Rowers League and Navy have many similarities, both rely on young, fit, healthy Australians in boats doing a community service. As in surf rowing, teamwork is very important to how the Navy operates. You can’t row a surf boat on your own nor sail a ship. “This sport is an ideal means to promote the ideals of the Royal Australian Navy,” Commander Anthony Campbell said .. “Navy is proud to be naming rights sponsor of this iconic Australian sport. In surf rowing and in the Royal Australian Navy, teamwork and fitness are very important.

6. To provide Navy The Team Works with a strong national brand association with a sport that depicts a social beach / surf / healthy lifestyle environment – male and female prime demographics 18 – 34.

7. To provide positive grass-roots brand exposure for Navy The Team Works at local community level.

8. To provide a direct opportunity for Navy The Team Works to promote and market their “Recruitment” brand association through the surf lifesaving network.

10. OUR PEOPLE ON BEACH

11. NAVY ACTIVATION BEACH VENUES & DATES 2010 -2011

12. NAVY TEAM AT WORK COMMUNITY ENGAGED

13. www.asrl.com.au General web site stats: The ASRL web site was necessarily moved to a new private server environment (due to increased resource requirements) in late-February, 2011. The only full month of stats available at this stage are for March, 2011. Annual Unique visitors would be approximately : 127,692 The Navy-ASRL Facebook module on the home page also features on various other relevant pages throughout the web site. It is “live feed” from Facebook, designed to be a permanent feature and automatically updated as the Facebook site is updated

14. SURF ROWERS GRAND FINAL - 2011

15. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & CAMPAIGN VALUE Now the world’s largest stand alone surf boat event. The Australian Surf Rowers League with the support of Events NSW seeks to optimise a partnership opportunity whereby “The Australian Open” remains the biggest and best “Surf Boat Event” in the world, with an annual increase in competitor numbers (male and female) The Navy -Australian Open Results Snap Shot: The Navy ASRL is now attracting over 2200 competitors and growing in numbers each year, with In 2011 The Australian Open achieved over 3500 visitors inter-state & intra-state, offering 10629 bed nights (Events NSW survey analysis available on request ) In 2011 the media monitors overview for this event was a total of 237 reports equating to $247,369 advertising equivalent value. (report available on request) Television $6,000 Radio $36,000 Press $186,000 Internet $19,000 Economic Impact to the Region (Wollongong): nearly $1.7M (includes the impact of both interstate visitors, and visitors from NSW who live outside the Wollongong region) Facebook Navy Prize – New Surf Boat giveaway six week promotion February 8 – March 22nd 2011 2,682 fans

16. WOLLONGONG CITY BEACH OFFICIAL VENUE - 2011 314 SURF BOAT CREWS ENTERED

17. NAVY OPEN EVENT OVERVIEW The Navy Australian Surf Rowers League (ASRL) series culminated in an action packed weekend for the 2011 Navy Australian Open – Surf Rowers Championship from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 February. Over 300 crews from 100 Surf Life Saving Clubs across Australia gathered in Wollongong to battle it out for medals in the Open Men’s, Open Women’s, Reserves, Under 23 Men, Under 23 Women, Under 19 and Masters divisions. The event kicked off Friday with Masters division, Reserves and Under 23 Men providing good racing all day in hot weather almost perfect for surf boat racing – a one metre swell with a tricky shore break on the way out and good runs on the way back in A highlight was the Navy Interstate Surf Boat Challenge, held in the “twilight” late Friday which was won convincingly by NSW with an upset for second by WA beating the strong QLD contingent Saturday continued with the hot weather and a 1.5 metre swell. A 25 knot north westerly wind meant a fast run out but hard work into a head wind on the return leg to the beach. The competition picked up when the Open divisions took to the water along with the Under 23 Women and Under 19s. To celebrate 100 years of surf lifesaving in New Zealand, the Women’s Surf Rowers Challenge “Battle of the Ditch” was held. Mooloolaba from Queensland were pitted against Mt Maunganui and the Australians won by two boat lengths in a hard fought race for international honours. Sunday continued with the hot conditions. A two metre swell picked up overnight making the morning extremely tough on all competitors and making the sweeps earn their money. Around 1pm was a southerly change which brought 45 to 50 knot winds and squally conditions which really tested all crews with some coming unstuck. In these testing conditions the medals for all divisions were decided. Fittingly the best crews prevailed after a genuine test of their abilities in hard fought races.

18. RESULTS AND SUPPORT EVENTS “2011 Navy Australian Open” The inaugural Trans Tasman Women’s Surf Rowers Challenge “Battle Of The Ditch” between Australia & New Zealand was won by the reigning Australian Title holders Mooloolaba against NZ crew Mt Maunganui by two boat lengths. The “Battle Of The Ditch” was raced to celebrate one hundred years of Surf Life Saving in New Zealand. “Battle Of The Ditch” Open Men First Bilgola Gold, NSW Second Austinmer Blue, NSW Third Batemans Bay, NSW Open Women First Avoca , NSW Second Mooloolaba QLD Third Fairhaven VIC Reserve First Austinmer Blue, NSW Second Bilgola Gold, NSW Third Palm Beach NSW Under 23 Men First Bateman’s Bay , NSW Second Queenscliff , NSW Third Kurrawa , QLD Under 23 Women First Mac Masters Beach NSW Second Sth Curl Curl , NSW Third Nth Cottesloe , WA Under 19 Men First Currumbin QLD Second Sth Curl Curl NSW Third Alexandra Headlands QLD “Navy Interstate Surf Boat Challenge” A highlight was the Navy Interstate Surf Boat Challenge, held in the “twilight” late Friday which was won convincingly by NSW with an upset for second by WA beating the strong QLD contingent

19. Media overview – valued at $247,369

20. BATTLE OF THE BOATS AT SEA

21. 2011 Golden blade awards Major prize NAVY is the naming rights sponsor of the 2010-11 Australian Surf Rowers League Series. As part of this sponsorship NAVY offered an ASRL club the opportunity to win a brand new fully equipped $28,000 surf boat and trailer. Club supporters downloaded the ASRL Navy Facebook application, answered a Navy quiz and were automatically entered. For every quiz question that is answered correctly, 1 point is allocated to their ASRL club and at the end of the season, the club with the most points will win the Navy branded surfboat for their club . What a great result for a small NSW Country Surf Club! Gerringong SLSC was announced as the winner of the Navy-ASRL Facebook Surfboat Giveaway promotion at the Golden Blade Awards at Jupiters Casino, Gold Coast .

22. 2011 Navy Australian OpeN Event Partners