Wieland Shield History
When Melbourne, Australia was chosen to
host the 1956 summer Olympics, surf life savers decided to hold an invitational
lifesaving competition to be known as the Australian Olympic International Surf
Championships at Torquay Beach, outside Melbourne, Victoria. The Honorable Judge
Adrian Curlewis of Australia appointed Arthur Parkens, an Australian lifesaving
instructor, to solicit participation from the United States. California
lifeguards and a contingent from the Territory of Hawaii decided to participate.
Both teams were trained and awarded, "The Australian Surf Lifesavers Medallion,"
so as to meet the international competition standards required for the event.
The California lifeguards organized themselves under the banner of the Surf Life
Saving Association of America (SLSA), although they were solely from the Los
Angeles County and Los Angeles City lifeguard agencies. This was the first
American lifeguard association of its kind, even if its name was a bit grand
considering its narrow scope.
Team members from the SLSA included Team Captain Rusty Williams of Los Angeles
County (LACO), Team Coach Kirby Temple (LACO), Team Manager Herb Barthels, Sr.
of Los Angeles City (LA City), Tad Devine (Santa Monica City), Bob Burnside (LACO),
Mike Bright (LACO), Greg Noll (LACO), Dave Ballinger (LACO), Chick McIlroy (LACO),
Paul McIlroy (LACO), Sheridan Byerly (LACO), and Roger Jensen (LACO). The
Hawaiian lifeguard team included Dr. Don Gustufson, Team Manager Harry Shaeffer,
Team Coach Tom Shaeffer, Tom Moore, Shaky Felez, Dan Durego, Tim Guard, L. Honka,
Peter Balding, and Tom Zahn.
The event was held on November 26, 1956
and drew an immense crowd of 115,000 spectators. The legendary "Duke" Paoa
Kahanamoku of Hawaii served as the honorary event Chairman. In addition to the
American and Australian teams, lifeguard teams from South Africa, Great Britain,
Ceylon, and New Zealand participated.
As for the Americans, the Hawaiian Territory placed first in the Beach Relay.
Tad Devine of California placed second in the swim. Bob Burnside of California
placed third in the belt race.
Perhaps more importantly than the competition itself, lifelong relationships
were built around this historic event and both countries were to benefit
tremendously. The American rescue tube and rescue buoy were first introduced to
Australia on this tour, later to become staples of Australian lifesaving gear as
they were in the US.
Tom Zahn, Tom Moore, and Bob Burnside
brought Malibu Balsa Surfboards with them, the first total Australian exposure
to the Malibu Surfboard. When they departed Australia, the boards were left
behind, which revolutionized surfing in Australia.
Los Angeles County Lifeguards hosted the first Australian SLSA team to tour the
USA in 1965 and presented the team before the LA County Board of Supervisors.
In 1967 Los Angeles County Lifeguards participated in an educational and competition tour of Australia and New Zealand. The tour included a return to Melbourne from Feb. 21 to 28, and competitions were staged at Portsea and Ocean Grove. The Australian responsible for hosting the Americans was George Nutbeam. The manager of the USA team was LA County Lifeguard and Surf Lifesaving Association of America President Bob Burnside.
As a result of the 1967 tour, George Nutbeam established a biannual exchange where one countries' team would tour the other's country every two years. A perpetual trophy sponsored and named for the US Consul General to Australia, Mr. William A. Wieland would commemorate the competition.
The Wieland Shield represents a long-standing relationship between the Los Angeles County Lifeguard Association (LACOLA) and Surf Life Saving Association Victoria (LSV). The exchange of ocean lifesaving knowledge, skills, and techniques has continued unbroken for the past five decades. The educational exchange has fostered many new and improved ocean rescue techniques, and equipment. Beach management and funding have also benefited. The ongoing relationship developed between Australia and the USA continues to serve the public these Lifeguards so heroically protect.
When hosted in Los Angeles, the Wieland Shield is held in conjunction with the International Surf Festival held in the South Bay Beach Cities. The Surf Life Saving Victoria team has plans to tour Southern California in late-July and early August 2008.
The Surf Life Saving Victoria team has plans to tour Southern California in late-July and early August 2008 for the 20th Wieland Shield Competition. The California Team will tour Victoria in January 2010.
