After two days of competition at the National Teams World Lifesaving Championship in Berlin, Canada’s National Team have no medals but
qualified for finals and set new Canadian records and many personal bests.

Chantique Payne won the B-final in the 200 m Super Lifesaver in a time of 2:35.43 breaking the Canadian record by 5 seconds. Christie Smith finished 16th.

Scott Van Doormaal was 5th in the 200 m Super Lifesaver in a time of 2:15.88 breaking the Canadian record by 3 seconds. Will Walters finished 10th in the same event. In Line Throw, Nelson Giraldo with Will Walters receiving finished 10th in a time of 0:12.7. Allyson Taylor with Christie Smith receiving finished 10th in women’s LineThrow with a time of 0:16.84. World records were set in both men’s (0:09.06) and women’s (0:11.56) Line Throw.

Canada’s women finished 8th in the afternoon A-final of the 4 x 50m Medley Relay having set a new Canadian record of 1:50.00 in the morning heats. The men won the Bfinal (finishing 9th overall) in a time of 1:36.41 breaking the Canadian record set at the Canadian Lifeguard Championships last March.

Today is the Simulated Emergency Response Competition after which national teams move to Warnemünde for the surf events on Friday and Saturday.

National Team members are: (men) Jason Cross (NS), Jordan Duggan (ON), Nelson Giraldo (PQ), Alex Griffith (ON), Scott Van Doormaal (ON), William Walters (BC); (women) Renata Jaciw-Zurakowsky (ON), Laura Kendall (ON), Chantique Payne (ON), Emmanuella Ruel (PQ), Christie Smith (ON), Allyson Tayler (ON). Canada’s team is coached by Don Burton. Shanna Read is team manager.

The World Lifesaving Championships (Rescue 2008) are sanctioned by the International Life Saving Federation. Lifesaving sport – the only sport developed on humanitarian principles – is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the Commonwealth Games Federation. The Lifesaving Society – Canada’s lifeguarding expert – is the governing body for lifesaving sport in Canada.