![RUNNING BACK: Maya Frost during last year's nippers season. Port Fairy returns on December 20. Picture: Anthony Brady RUNNING BACK: Maya Frost during last year's nippers season. Port Fairy returns on December 20. Picture: Anthony Brady](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc787jpvygxq81e2eps1wz.jpg/r0_251_5127_3145_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
MORE of the south-west's young lifesavers will return to the water after Port Fairy and Port Campbell announced return dates for their nipper programs.
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Port Campbell starts on December 5 while Port Fairy has confirmed the 20th as its first session of the summer. Warrnambool recently confirmed December 6 as its start date.
Both clubs will run two sessions, splitting its younger and older age groups into two hour-long sessions.
Port Campbell's under 7-10 age groups start at 10am while the under 11-14s will run from 11.15am.
The club has capped places in age groups to 20. Memberships are to be paid online before the season commences and it's come and try day also won't run this season.
Port Fairy's under 6-9 age groups begins at 9.30 before the under 10-14 hit the beach at 11am.
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Nippers Coordinator Nicole Dwyer said there would be no numbers cap but age groups would then be split into groups of 10.
The program has been slightly modified this summer to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.
Age groups will be split across East Beach and online registrations are required before every session to plan water safety volunteers to nipper ratio. The club will also have a QR code.
Age groups won't do every event as they did last year and Dwyer has asked members to be patient about the amount of events they can do weekly.
She added it was pleasing for the club's younger members to return to the water.
"At this stage we are happy to have a start date after everything we have been through this year," she said.
"The club has been working hard through all the necessary restrictions and the requirements by Lifesaving Victoria to enable the kids to join the nipper program again."
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