FOUR lifeguards from HBF Arena Joondalup proved the winning team in the 2019 Pool Lifeguard Challenge this month.
Kieren Lawrenson, Paolo Da Silva, Leigha Wood and Lewis Downs from the arena’s first team took out first place for the second year in a row.
They topped the scoreboard during the first two relay race events, the swim obstacle and tow relays, putting them in a great position going into the final CPR and emergency scenario events.
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READ NOWThe challenge took place on February 21 at the HBF Stadium outdoor pool in Mt Claremont, with 17 teams from various aquatic centres competing at the event.
Swan Active Ballajura joined this year’s competition, sponsored by the Leisure Institute of WA Aquatics and facilitated by Royal Life Saving WA.
The event, held annually since 2007, tests the skills of lifeguards and encourages continued improvement of lifeguard teams at aquatic centres across WA.
Regular teams that returned this year included two from Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre, Fremantle Leisure Centre, two from City of Canning, Beatty Park Leisure Centre, two from HBF Arena, HBF Stadium, Bayswater Waves, two from Leisurefit Booragoon, Swan Active Beechboro and Geraldton Aquarena.
The Geraldton team, who got up at 3am to make the journey to Perth for the event, placed second while HBF Stadium came third.
The day began with a team relay and obstacle course, with the second event being a Super Lifeguard Challenge, in which teams showed their swimming, manikin tow and CPR skills.
The final challenge involved teams responding to one of three acted-out emergency scenarios: a spinal, CPR or first-aid, when teams go into lockdown, unaware of the scenarios unfolding on the pool deck.
This year, lifeguard teams had to work together to scan a busy scene, which was filled with plenty of distractions.
The incidents managed by the lifeguards included a mother not supervising her young child, a confrontation with a loud, angry aquarobics instructor whose class had been interrupted by a stray water polo ball, a person injured on a giant inflatable, and a swimmer lying unconscious and face down in the water.
2019 Pool Lifeguard Challenge results
Event 1 – swim obstacle relay
1st: HBF Arena team 1
2nd: HBF Stadium
3rd: Geraldton
4th: Leisurefit Boorgaoon team 1
Event 2 – Swim Tow Relay
1st: HBF Arena team 1
2nd: Leisurefit Booragoon team 1
3rd: Fremantle LC
4th: Geraldton
Event 3 – Team CPR
1st: HBF Arena team 2
2nd: HBF Arena team 1
3rd: Cockburn ARC team 2
4th: Leisurefit Booragoon team 2