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Lifesaving sport is the only sport that showcases skills learned for humanitarian purposes.
A team of nine Guelph athletes from Royal City Aquatics Club showed off their skills taking home a first place win last month at the the 2024 Canadian Surf Lifesaving Championship at Parlee Beach, N.B.
"We had nine athletes take part which is a fairly small team," said Royal City Aquatics Club Lifesaving sport coach," Alexa Hunyady.
"So, the fact that we were able to come home with a win overall was pretty big."
The competition, sanctioned by the Lifesaving Society Canada, was held Aug. 23 - 25.
"There were 10 teams from across the country, from Nova Scotia and Quebec, to B.C.," Hunyady said.
"We had a youth girls age group racing, from ages 14 - 17. We also had two boys and two women race who were 27 and 36."
Lifesaving Sport is a demanding, multi-disciplinary sport that combines athletic ability with lifesaving skills and rescue equipment. Skills are learned for humanitarian purposes and then applied to competition.
Events at the 2024 Canadian Surf Lifesaving Championship included beach flags, beach sprint, board race, surf ski race, board rescue and rescue tube rescue relay.
"Lifesaving sport is the only sport that combines humanitarian life guard skills into racing. It's really big in Australia, New Zealand and even Europe. They have some big and incredible teams," Hunyady said.
Although still fairly small in Canada, Hunyady hopes the sport will continue to grow nationally.
"There's so many different events and so many things people can be good at. There's a whole pool side to it and then an open water part too, which we participated in," Hunyady said.
"This includes board rescue where one person swims out to a buoy. Once they get out there, they wave their hand and then the other person has to come out and pick them up on their board. The two then have to board in together."
Hunyady said all events mimic a real life guarding scenario.
"The top six teams in every single event which includes running, swimming, boarding and using a surf ski, get points. They are added up overall, and our club had the most points," Hunyady said.
Founded in August 2021, Royal City Aquatics Club offers professional swim training for youth, juniors, seniors and masters, in Guelph.
"I've been coaching for three years at the club," Hunyady said. "I have been a part of lifesaving sport as an athlete since I was 12. I started competing nationally at 16. And I never got to experience that win, so it was pretty exciting to have such a new club, only a few years in, to have that win."
Athletes can begin competing at nationals at 14 years of age.
"A vast majority of the team, it was their first time. So, this was such a great way to just get out there. They were all nervous and unsure. They didn't know what to expect," Hunyady said.
"To work hard all summer, and come away with a win like that was really cool. This might keep them training and keep that success going."
The goal at the competition, Hunyady said, was to learn and to experience racing at that level.
"This was something they had never experienced before," she said. "So, when they found out that they won, the kids were really shocked and excited."
All of the training at Guelph Lake during the summer months paid off.
"We were out at the lake Monday to Friday at least once or twice a day. We had about six practices a week. And they were all a combination of running and swimming, and using the boards and surf skis," Hunyady said.
"Its a big commitment. Having done it myself, for teens to give up their summer and get up early, it's a lot. And for the parents, too. We really appreciate their support. So, to have that pay off with a win, it was really great for everybody."
But a win wasn't on the team's radar. The goal, Hunyady said, was just to have fun.
"They were so excited to get that banner. And they are already planning for next year."
