Candice Warner is using her prominent Cricket WAG and Ironwoman status to help end Australia's brutal summer in the surf.
Just a week after her husband David Warner retired from his Test cricket career at the SCG, Mrs Warner is using her profile to help with a new campaign aimed at reducing drowning deaths on the country's dangerous and unsupervised beaches.
She, alongside her daughters Nipper Indy and Ivy, will launch the campaign from Maroubra Beach on Friday morning.
Working with Surf Life Saving Australia, Ms Warner revealed there were 29 deaths due to rip currents on Australian beaches last year alone – 16 per cent compared to the ten-year average.
Already in 2024, there have been 42 drowning deaths, with most coastal drownings involving people caught in rip currents.
“It can be difficult to spot the cracks, which is why I'm so passionate about teaching children from a very young age how to respect the ocean,” Ms Warner said.
“Research shows that nearly 62 per cent, or two in three, of those who think they know how to spot a tear still get it wrong sometimes.”
“That's why I made my girls Indy and Ivy into Nippers — and they love it.”
Rip rips are the number one hazard on Australian beaches, but new research by SLSA reveals only 10% of beachgoers say they are confident in their ability to spot rips.
Ms Warner's daughter, an aspiring surf lifeguard, Ivy, said: 'You don't need to become an expert – the best way to avoid trouble is to swim between the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches.'
In an effort to better train young Australians in ocean safety, and recruit more young Australians into the Great Australian Nippers Foundation, the SLSA has launched a series of Nutri-Grain Nipper Clinics across the country this year. summer.
Nutri-Grain Ironman champion Matt Bevilacqua said it was rewarding to see the impact the program had.
“Children are very impressionable, and understanding how to deal with the vagaries of the ocean can be one of the most important life lessons you can learn
“You will learn,” he said.
“Even if they don't become Ironman or Ironwoman champions, they will know how to enjoy our wonderful Australian beaches safely.
SLSA chief executive Adam Weir said rip currents posed a significant risk to unaware Australians.
“We saw mothers, fathers, friends and strangers go to help people caught in rip currents, with tragic results, including the loss of their lives,” he said.
“In an effort to prevent future tragedies, we are thrilled to be working with Kellogg and Candice to help get the message out to all those who visit our coast.”
