Awards Lifeguard Competition OPSEC National Pool Lifeguard Competition

Whilst Waves 2021 was put on hold by another lockdown, we managed to get the National Pool Lifeguard Competition completed the day before

On the morning of August 17 Lifeguards from around the country, arrived at the Lido Aquatic Centre in Palmerston North, ready to be put through their paces in a bid to be crowned National Pool Lifeguard Team of the Year. Teams included, Keas on Guard (Queenstown Lakes District Council), CLM Reheko! (CLM National), CLM Frido (CLM Palmerston North), Code Brown (Horowhenua District Council), and Ngā Puna Kaukau Hāpori ō Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington City Council)

After team photos and a briefing from Recreation Aotearoa, the teams were ready to get in the pool for their first physical challenge – a 100 metre relay comprising of swimming and casualty towing techniques. There were judges poolside, team managers and lifeguard assessors, with clipboards in hand and watching with trained eyes as the teams carried out their tasks. Speed, teamwork, and spot on technique were required to succeed, with time penalties given for incorrect technique Keas on Guard smashed the relay and took out the top spot.

Darren ‘Daz’ Pott, acting judge and CLM facility manager expressed FOMO, having not been part of the CLM teams but was thrilled to be involved as a judge “Having two teams in this year meant we saw some banter and challenges happening between them. They had an absolute blast” said Daz. “The team had the butterflies in the morning but once they got stuck into the swim and could focus on the task at hand, they all visibly relaxed and we started to see some smiles and laughs come through.”

Following a well-deserved break with snacks and coffee, the next portion of the day was filled with a series of scenarios the teams had to work through There were two pool scenarios in which the teams had to respond to a suspected spinal injury (assessed by Daz and Cameron Lovatt) and resuscitate an unconscious casualty (assessed by Gastón Vélez and Fran Smaller).

The third scenario involved Jack, the competition sponsor (OPSEC), as a customer breaching pool rules (assessed by Tracey Prince-Puketapu) These challenges tested the lifeguards teamwork, response under pressure, first aid practices, and customer interaction skills. CLM Reheko! impressed with their response to the spinal injury and customer management skills, taking out first place in these scenarios While CLM Frido showed remarkable efficiency and professionalism when rescuing the blackout casualty from the depths of the swimming pool.

The final two challenges required the teams to delve into their knowledge banks and stretch their creative muscles Skills Active’s Linda Dorrington put their pool operation knowledge to the test with a quiz that could earn them up to 50 points. Then a TikTok video challenge forced them to think outside the pool and showcase their team personality in a way that could see them win the internet

At the end of the day CLM Reheko claimed the coveted title of the National Pool Lifeguard Team of the Year.