Two years ago, a team of 18 members from Retford and District Lifesaving Club began a rigorous training programme with the goal of turning their dream of competing at the Lifesaving World Championships in Australia into reality.
The Lifesaving World Championships (LWC) is a series of competitions that highlight lifesaving skills, fitness, and motivation in the pool, on the beach, and in the ocean. The LWC features a variety of events, including National and Interclub Teams and the Masters World Championships. Lasting three weeks, the LWC took place on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, and attracted 6,000 competitors and officials from over 50 countries.
The purpose of lifesaving sport is to help lifesavers develop and maintain the physical and mental skills necessary for saving lives in aquatic environments. The Retford team, which included Youth, Open, and Masters categories, featured some of the youngest competitors to qualify. They were the only UK club to compete across all three environments – pool, beach, and ocean.
Events included the 200m Super Lifesaver, 2km Beach Runs (on soft sand), Beach Flags, and 90m Sprints. The team also tackled big surf swims, which involved a 20m sprint into the ocean, followed by a 400m swim around a fixed course, battling 1.5m surf, and finishing with a sprint across the beach, among other challenges.
Guided by their head coach Peter Moyes and managed in Australia by Theresa Tomlinson and other club instructors, the team put in a huge effort to prepare and fund the trip. Parents and club members raised over £20,000 from local businesses, friends, family, and groups such as the Retford Masons, Lions, and Rotary, alongside contributions from local councillors.
Over the course of two years, the team completed 600 hours of training in their local pool, along with sessions in Sheffield to gain experience in a 50m pool. They also travelled to the coast to practice beach and sea skills, including training in the North Sea. In addition to pool time, each competitor spent many hours in the gym to build their overall fitness, learned to manage their nutrition, and competed in various events across the country to qualify for the LWC.
Their hard work paid off with two gold, two silver, and one bronze medal, a new national record in a Masters relay, two B final places on the beach, and two B final places in pool relay events.
The journey exemplifies what can be achieved through determination, enthusiasm, and commitment. Not only did the team gain invaluable sporting skills, but they also developed life skills such as teamwork, decision-making, goal-setting, and leadership. Perhaps the most important lesson they learned is that with hard work and dedication, great things can be achieved. The team also celebrated 20 personal best performances across the events, proving they gave their best efforts in every competition.
The team would like to extend their gratitude to everyone who supported them in making their dream a reality.