A team of lifeguards from Splash in Stockton-on-Tees have proved they are among the best in the country by coming fifth overall, and winning a torpedo tow team relay, in the IQL/ISRM National Pool Lifeguard Championships held on 10 June at the Ken Marriott Leisure Centre in Rugby.

The event was jointly sponsored by IQL UK, which manages the National Pool Lifeguard Programme, and the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management, and is designed to showcase the high skill level of some of the UK’s pool lifeguards, and to test and reward their leadership, fitness, rescue and life guarding abilities.

The day-long event began on dry land on the Athletics Track at the centre, with an initiative test over a variety of activities including a 4 x 100m relay. Later, the action switched to the Pool for first aid incidents, a pool emergency, rescue relay and rope throwing challenges.

Cardiff Dragons won through at the end of the day with 560 points, with Splash finishing with a respectable 450 points.

Ian Wakefield, ISRM business development manager said: “It is very important to raise the profile of the valuable work done by lifeguards and to showcase their talents. It was an exciting competition that showed just how skilled these lifeguards are. We were delighted to be involved with it.”

Alex Blackwell, IQL’s NPLQ programme manager, paid tribute to all the hard work put in by both competitors and organisers.

“All the team this year were very competitive but also showed a great deal of professionalism and sportsmanship,” he said.

“I and my colleagues at the ISRM believe that the event serves as a great motivational tool to many hundreds of Lifeguards around the UK and will remain committed to it.”

The full list of teams entered was: Birmingham, Guildford, Cariba Creek, Rugby, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Nottingham, Maidenhead, Winchester, Cardiff, Ipswich, Widnes, Yeovil and Stockton–on–Tees.