Edmonton, June 2009 – Canada’s National Lifesaving Team took the overall silver in the Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships behind gold medallist Australia. Canada’s Development Team impressed with a gold medal finish in the overall championships, 6 points ahead of South Africa. Teams from 11 Commonwealth nations competed.

Canada’s National Team earned gold in the Simulated Emergency Response Competition. Australia and England took silver and bronze respectively.

Canada can claim “Line Throw Nation” status as the Canadians swept the Line Throw events with gold medal finishes for both men and women from national and development teams. Audrey Prayal-Brown and Laura Kendall established a new Canadian record in 12.91 beating the 13:51 record at the Canadian Lifeguard Championships in 2005.

Scott Van Doormaal established three Canadian records. His gold medal performance in 2:16.22 in the 200 m Super Lifesaver Event eclipsed the old record of 2:18.48 set by Adam Nicholson at Rescue 2000. In the same event, William Walters took silver swimming under the old Canadian record in 2:17.98.

Van Doormaal swam to a silver medal in 2:00.81 in the 200 m Obstacle Swim to beat the old record of 2:02.88 set by Bryan MacMillan in the 2003 Commonwealth Championships. His bronze medal swim in 1:08.45 in the 100 m Rescue Medley eclipsed the former Canadian record of 1.11.97 set by John Eddolls in Rescue 2004.

Both National Team women and men set new Canadian records in their respective 200 m Obstacle Relay events. Payne, Kendall, Ellison and Prayal-Brown swam 2:02.06 eclipsing the old record (2.06.74) set at Rescue 2000. Walters, Van Doormaal, Duggan and Trevison swam 1:46.36 beating the former record (1:48.63) set at the 2004 Canadian Lifeguard Championships.

The same National Team women set a new Canadian mark in the 200 m Medley Relay with a time of 1:53.22, half a second faster than the former record. In the same event, Giraldo, Walters, Duggan and Van Doormaal swam to a new Canadian record of 1:39.44 beating the old Canadian mark by almost a second.

DiCosmo, Johnston and Giraldo all broke the Canadian record in the 100 m Manikin Carry with Fins with Giraldo setting the new Canadian benchmark for the event in a time of 56.21.

Chantique Payne powered her way to a silver medal and Canadian record 2:34.35 in the 200 m Super Lifesaver beating the old record by almost 6 seconds.

In all, Canada’s National Team brought home 16 medals (5 gold, 5 silver, 6 bronze) in the three day competition at the Kinsmen Sport Centre in Edmonton. Canada’s Development Team earned 18 medals (6 gold, 5 silver, 7 bronze).

In Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships, each nation may enter one national team and one development team. Development team members must not have previously competed for their nation in international competition.

National Team members were: Jordon Duggan, Jennifer Ellison, Nelson Giraldo, Laura Kendal, Chantique Payne, Audrey Prayal-Brown, Brent Trevisan, Scott Van Doormaal and William Walters.
Development Team members were: Annick Bernard-Giasson, Marie-Eve Chamberland, Mario DiCosmo, Colin Johnston, Ian Kendall, Cameron Mackendrick, Meghan Read, Brittany Shaw, Alyce Sutcliffe and Derek Westra-Luney.

The 2009 Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships were hosted by the Lifesaving Society Canada Alberta & NWT Branch in conjunction with the Royal Life Saving Society Commonwealth Conference. India hosts the 2011 championships in Chennai.

Lifesaving sport is a unique combination of competitive swimming and timed, simulated rescue drills. It is fast paced and demanding. Through swimming, use of rescue equipment, or performing manikin rescue, lifesaving sport is designed to test the athlete’s speed, endurance, agility, coordination and strength in the pool and surf.

Lifesaving sport is the only sport that has been developed based on humanitarian principles. The Lifesaving Society – Canada’s lifeguarding expert – is the Canadian governing body for lifesaving sport – a sport recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the Commonwealth Games Federation.

The Lifesaving Society has been saving lives in Canada for over 100 years through its training programs, public education campaign, safety management services, water-incident research and lifesaving sport. Over half a million Canadians participate annually in the Society’s lifesaving, lifeguarding and leadership training programs.

For more information, please contact:
Shanna Reid, Team Manager, Tele: 519-386-9235 or Shannal.reid@hotmail.com
Visit www.rlss2009.com for complete results of the 2009 Royal Life Saving Society Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships.
Visit www.lifesavingsport.ca for more information the sport of lifesaving.