East Gippsland lived up to expectations as the 2010 Victorian Lifesaving Championships proved to be 'naturally magic' over the weekend.

Over 2,000 competitive lifesavers took to the sand and water at Lakes Entrance, with the dream of winning gold at the most anticipated event on the Victorian surf sport calendar.

Breaking away from tradition, 2010 marked a new direction for Life Saving Victoria by combining the two biggest events of the state's surf sport season. For the first time in Victorian lifesaving history, both senior and junior championships were held over the one weekend.

Proudly hosted by Surf Life Saving Lakes Entrance, the Club was the perfect choice to help turn this vision into a reality and make these Championships the best yet.

"Lakes Entrance and the East Gippsland Shire Council went above and beyond in helping LSV create such an exciting and memorable Championship," Life Saving Victoria's President Mike Martin said.

"It was always going to be a huge ask having both junior and senior competition on the one weekend but it worked and turned out to be two full days of exciting lifesaving action," Mr Martin said.

With predicted forecasts of thunderstorms, it was a great surprise for everyone involved when day one brought blue skies and beaming hot sunshine. However, as day two got underway the heavens decided to unleash.

For the junior competitors it was a test of courage to battle it out in the water. A stand-out nipper who certainly proved themselves against these elements was Ben Dade from Mt Martha Surf Life Saving Club who earned himself the Fred Westfield Medal. An all-round competitor, Ben achieved the best results in the junior arena across both the beach and water events, a performance seen throughout the season.

All eyes were on young-gun Emily Bews from Torquay SLSC when she picked up the ski, as she dominated the craft events winning the U/17 Women's Single Ski Race, U/17 Women's Board Race and narrowly missing out top prize in the Open Women's Single Ski Race and claiming the Silver.

Another talented young lifesaver, Joel Simondson from Anglesea SLSC, capped off a perfect season dominating his age group in the water events by taking home Gold in the U/15 Men's Surf Race, Ironman Race, Tube Race and Board Race.

In what was an upset win in the "Dolphin" Open Men's Ironman, Pt Leo's Haydn Tierney triumphed and powered across the finish line in front of Hamish Hunter (Half Moon Bay SLSC) and Will Penney (Torquay SLSC).

The beach arena continually ran hot, with the help of lightning bolt Amber King from Portsea SLSC, who claimed Gold in the U/19 Women's Beach Flags, U/19 Women's Beach Sprint and Open Women's Beach Sprint. Fellow Club member David Rowell claimed yet another consecutive win in the Open Men's 2km Beach Run.

Life Saving Victoria's Manager - Aquatic Sports believes "the 2010 Victorian Lifesaving Championships will go down in the history books as the biggest lifesaving carnival the state has ever put on for its competitors."

"Lakes was fantastic and the weekend lived up to expectations with explosive action in the sand and on the water - from both our junior and senior competitors," Mr Urlichs said.

Overall Club Pointscores (junior and senior combined) resulted in Torquay SLSC claiming first place, Pt Leo SLSC taking second and Anglesea SLSC in third.

For many competitors this was the last chance to pit themselves against the best the state has to offer before they jet to the 2009 Where Is® Australian Surf Life Saving Championships returning to Kurrawa on the Gold Coast, Queensland, from the 16th March.

Life Saving Victoria would like to thank Surf Life Saving Lakes Entrance and East Gippsland Shire Council for hosting the 2010 Victorian Lifesaving Championships and all sponsors involved who helped to make the event such a success.

For a full list of results please visit the results page on the Life Saving Victoria website.

To view official photographs of the 2010 Victorian Lifesaving Championships please click here.