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Story: Lifesaving and surfing

The ‘march past’

Video file

The highlight of surf carnivals and competitions was the ‘march past’, when all the teams competing would take part in a formal parade along the beach, wearing their colourful uniform swimsuits and carrying reels and club banners. This film from the National Lifesaving Championships held at Waihī Beach in 1949 captures the spectacle.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Weekly Review 394

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Lifesaving and surfing – Surf lifesaving develops, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/7492/the-march-past (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 2 March 2009.