OTTAWA, ON – Canada’s National Lifesaving Team took the overall bronze medal position at the Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships in Bath, England, September 24–29, 2006. Canada’s Development Team took silver.

Over 250 athletes from around the world participated in Bath. Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships are open to one National Team and one Development Team per nation. Development Team members must never have been on a National Team and must never have represented any nation in international lifesaving competition.

National Teams Results

Over the 10 championship events – 9 race events plus the Simulated Emergency Response Competition (SERC) – Australia scored 456 points to take overall gold. South Africa (439 points) took silver ahead of Canada (415 points). Canada (Jeff Arthurs, Ryan Ferguson, Nelson Giraldo, Christie Smith) took the silver medal in the SERC event. In race events, Canada’s National Team earned 4 gold, 2 silver and 7 bronze medals:

200m Obstacle Swim
Silver – Gail Findlay-Shirras; Bronze – Will Walters
100m Manikin Carry with Fins
Gold – Marc Prud’homme
100m Manikin Tow with Fins
Gold – Gail Findlay-Shirras; Bronze – Jennifer Ellison;
Gold – Marc Prud’homme
200m Super Lifesaver
Gold – Will Walters
Line Throw
Bronze – Ryan Ferguson and Will Walters
4 x 25 Manikin Relay
Bronze – Jennifer Ellison, Gail Findlay-Shirras, Teri Share, Christie Smith
4 x 50 Obstacle Relay
Silver – Jennifer Ellison, Gail Findlay-Shirras, Teri Share, Christie Smith
Bronze – Jeff Arthurs, Nelson Giraldo, Marc Prud’homme, Will Walters
4 x 50 Medley Relay
Bronze – Jennifer Ellison, Gail Findlay-Shirras, Teri Share, Christie Smith;
Bronze – Jeff Arthurs, Nelson Giraldo, Marc Prud’homme, Will Walters
National Team athletes were: (men) Jeff Arthurs (AB), Ryan Ferguson (ON),
Nelson Giraldo (PQ), Marc Prud’homme (ON), William Walters (BC); (women) (PQ),
Jennifer Ellison (ON), Gail Findlay-Shirras (BC), Teri Share (ON), Christie Smith (ON).

Development Teams Results

In the Development Teams Division, South Africa took gold with 497 points ahead of Canada (455 points) and Australia (435 points). Canada (Jean-Michel Fortin, Brent Mcleod, Dan Minster, Melissa Rydahl) took the bronze medal in SERC. In race events, Canada’s Development Team earned 2 gold, 3 silver and 8 bronze medals:

200m Obstacle Swim
Silver – Renata Jaciw-Zurakowsky
50m Manikin Carry
Bronze – Jean Michel Fortin
100m Manikin Carry with Fins
Bronze – Allyson Tayler; Bronze – Brent Mcleod
100m Manikin Tow with Fins
Silver – Brent Mcleod
200m Super Lifesaver
Bronze – Renata Jaciw-Zurakowsky; Silver – Brent Mcleod
Line Throw
Bronze – Melissa Rydahl and Renata Jaciw-Zurakowsky
4 x 25 Manikin Relay
Bronze – Jean-Michel Fortin, Alex Griffith, Brent Mcleod, Dan Minster
4 x 50 Obstacle Relay
Gold – Zuzana Benkova, Renata Jaciw-Zurakowsky, Melissa Rydahl, Jennifer
Winfield; Bronze – Jean-Michel Fortin, Alex Griffith, Trent Mckee, Dan Minster
4 x 50m Medley Relay
Gold – Zuzana Benkova, Renata Jaciw-Zurakowsky, Melissa Rydahl, Jennifer
Winfield; Bronze – Jean-Michel Fortin, Alex Griffith, Brent Mcleod, Dan
Minster

Development Team athletes were: (men) Jean-Michel Fortin (PQ), Alex Griffith (ON), Trent Mckee (AB), Brent Mcleod (ON), Dan Minster (BC); (women) Zuzana Benkova (BC), Renata Jaciw-Zurakowsky (ON), Melissa Rydahl (ON), Allyson Tayler (ON), Jennifer Winfield (AB).

Don Burton (National Team Coach) led the Canadian effort at the University of Bath 50-m pool with team managers Shanna Read and Chris Lindsay and Raynald Hawkins (National Team Director). Canadian volunteer officials included Cynthia Cakebread, Doug Ferguson, Barbara Kusyanto, Michelle Lipkus, Charlene Pugh, Perry Smith and Lorraine Wilson-Saliba.

The next international outing for Canadian lifesaving competitors is the 2008 World Lifesaving Championships in Berlin. The Lifesaving Society hosts the next Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships in 2009 in Edmonton, Alberta.

The Lifesaving Society works to prevent drowning and water-related injury. Over 500,000 Canadians participate annually in the Society’s swimming, lifesaving and leadership training programs. The Society is the governing body for lifesaving sport – a sport recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the Commonwealth Games Federation.