THE Australian Youth Life Saving Team (AYLT) has taken the first step on the road to redemption in reclaiming the Youth National Team Title at Life Saving World Championships (LWC) 2020 with the naming of a 32-strong squad, which includes Mollymook's Sam Zustovich and former Nowra-Culburra product Holly Abbey.
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Zustovich leads the way on the sand taking gold in both under 17 flag and sprint events at Aussies along with a second place in the open male flags - with Abbey, who now competes with the Coogee SLSC, also being part of the beach team.
Australian Youth Life Saving Team head coach for the LWC2020 campaign, Craig Holden expressed his excitement at the depth across the squad.
"We have an amazing array of young talent here in Australia and it is always extremely difficult in determining our squads," Holden said.
"We are extremely confident in the young athletes we have selected across all disciplines and really excited to see how they develop over the next year or so heading toward LWC2020 in Italy.
"Looking across all the athletes who nominated and our selected squad there is definitely the potential there to help us win back the LWC2020 Youth National Teams World Title from New Zealand.
"There is every chance that those who are not currently in the squad to force their way into reckoning for a berth at LWC2020 through their performances through the remainder of the coming pool rescue season and the 2019/20 surf season also."
Joining the South Coast pair in Holden's squad are Alexandra Headlands' Tayla Halliday, Jessica Oates and Emma Woods, Northcliffe's Madeline Allars, William Taylor and Sara Tazaki, Bulli's Holly Holmesby and Zara Sharman, Coogee's Asher Wilson, Cook Hill's Bella Williams Cronulla's Isabellah Walker, Cudgen Headland's Joey Warne, Currumbin's Ellie Beer, Fremantle's TJ Chong and Harrison Hynes, Kurrawa's Kaan Karadag, Maroochydore's Joseph McMenamin, Adam Palmer, Samuel Short, Zachary Tabuai, Phoebe Wills-Grace and Ruben Zikarsky, Newport's Zach Morris, Sorrento's Cristian Sayers, Southport's Brodee Trinca, Sunshine Beach's Ruby Nolan, Swansea Belmont's Kye Taylor, Trigg Island's Chalise Pratt and Umina's Kaylah Holmes and Blake Hessel.
The Australian Youth Life Saving Team will be sending a team of 12 athletes to compete at International Surf Rescue Challenge 2019 as the pinnacle international event this calendar year for youth athletes.
This will be held in Durban, South Africa with a team announcement made over the coming weeks.
