Canadian born Tristan Conn and Sonia Paquette of Belle Feuille, Quebec led the way as Canada captured 5 medals en-route to a 12th place finish at the World Lifesaving Championships.

Conn and Paquette each landed two medals in beach events on the last day of competition. Paquette earned bronze medals in beach flags and in the 90 metre beach sprint while Conn earned a silver medal in flags and a bronze in the 90 metre sprint.

Adam Nicholson of Guelph, Ontario, was Canada’s other medal earner, winning a bronze medal in the pool after qualfying for two finals. Nicholson earned bronze in the 100m saving a manikin with fins and placed 7th in the 200m Super Lifesaver.

Canada was represented at the World Lifesaving Championships by 12 outstanding lifeguard-athletes on the first ever Canadian National Lifesaving Team competing against the world’s best from 26 countries in both pool and surf beach events. The team was coached by Steve Box and Daniel Berubé, and managed by Greg Bender and Brian Robitaille, all of Ottawa.

“Lifesaving is the only sport in which skills are first learned for humanitarian purposes and only then applied in competition,” notes Box. “All competitors must be qualified lifesavers by their national lifesaving association.”

Other highlights from team Canada’s performance in the pool include a 4th place finish in emergency response (pool) a 4th place finish in the womans 2x2 Ball throw, and Anita Lee’s 6th placing in the Super Lifesaver. All pool events were held at the Sydney Aquatic Centre, home of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.

In the ocean and beach events, Canada was impressive. In addition to the medals they earned on the beach, they also placed 7th in the men’s surf board rescue relay race, 8th in the women’s surf board rescue relay race, and 4th in the women’s beach relay.

Canada’s 12th overall position came as a result of their 13th place finish in the pool and an impressive 7th place finish in the ocean events. Their performance was good enough to secure Canada a spot in the 2001 Goodwill Games to be held in 2001 in Brisabane, Australia; only the top eight ocean teams qualified.

I.O.C. Recognition
International Olympic Committee recognition of lifesaving as a sport has boosted the profile of the World Lifesaving Championships, which are organized under the auspices of the International Life Saving (ILS) Federation. The Lifesaving Society represents Canada in ILS and is the recognized sport governing body for lifesaving in Canada.

Doug Ferguson, the Lifesaving Society’s Sport Commissioner says IOC recognition is bringing great benefits to lifesaving. “Sport should not, and will not, take priority over saving lives,” he said. “But IOC recognition of lifesaving competition can provide lifesaving organizations with new tools with which to attract participants to lifesaving training programs, to promote public awareness of our lifesaving aims and to attract the attention of donors and sponsors in support of drowning prevention priorities.”

“Canada is beginning to see the impact of IOC recognition of lifesaving sport on competition, “ says Steve Box. “The traditional Canadian lifeguard competition is evolving to be consistent with international level competition.”

The United States Lifesaving Association will host Rescue 2002 in May at Daytona Beach, Florida. The Lifesaving Society Canada last hosted the world at Rescue ‘86 in Vancouver.