26th N.S. Surf Lifeguarding Competition

The Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service (NSLS) will hold its 26th Annual Surf Lifeguarding Competition on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at Risser's Beach in Petit Riviere, near Bridgewater.

Teams from outside of the province will be competing alongside Nova Scotia's finest beach lifeguards.

Teams consisting of two lifeguards, male or female, will compete in technical and physical events. Technical events include a first aid/resuscitation event and a water situations event. These technical events present simulated incidents, where lifeguard teams are judged on their patient treatment.

The physical events should be especially interesting this year. Tropical depressions have created substantial waves off Nova Scotia's east coast over the past week. Organizers expect moderate surf conditions for the competition, which will make physical events more challenging.

Events include a 400-metre ocean swim, a 700-metre rescue-board rescue and the ironguard event. The ironguard event, which is by far the most gruelling event, consists of a 200-metre sprint run, a 500-metre paddle, a 500-metre surf ski, a 300-metre ocean swim, and a 200-metre sprint run to the finish.

The 1997 event winners who will be competing this year are:
Halifax's Jason Cross and P. J. Cowan, last year's overall champions; Mike David, a Dartmouth native who won the beach flags event, and Dave LeBlanc, a Sydney native who was victorious in the ironguard. Both Mr. David and Mr. LeBlanc swam for the Dalhousie Tigers last year.

Other competitors of note include: Nancy Witty of Wolfville, who placed first in the run-paddle-run and beach flags at the 1998 NSLS All-Woman Competition; Heather Goodfellow of Halifax, who placed first in the two-kilometre run and run-swim-run events at the 1998 NSLS All-Woman Competition; Gary Basso of Sydney, who finished third in beach flags in the 1997 NSLS competition; Mike Murray of Antigonish who placed third in the ocean swim event in the 1997 NSLS competition; Tavis Austen, also of Antigonish, who placed third in the run-swim-run in the 1997 NSLS competition; and Stacey Connick of Truro, who was the top female in the ocean swim in the 1997 NSLS competition.

The Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service is a joint project of the Nova Scotia Sport and Recreation Commission and the Canadian Red Cross.

NOVA SCOTIA LIFEGUARD SERVICE BEACH COMPETITION
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

8:30 a.m. - Competitors' meeting; judges' meeting; volunteers'
meeting 9 a.m. - *two-km beach run (timed final) 9:20 a.m. - beach flags (preliminary heats) 9:50 a.m. - run/swim/run 10:30 a.m. - first aid/resuscitation event 10:40 a.m. - water situations 1:50 p.m. - *paddleboard race (timed final) 2:20 p.m. - beach flags (finals-male/female) 2.50 p.m. - swim event 3:05 p.m. - **70-m beach run 3:15 p.m. - **100-m swim with tube 3:30 p.m. - rescue-board rescue (timed final) 4 p.m. - ironguard (timed final) 7 p.m. - awards presentation and banquet, Petit Riviere Fire
Hall

• part of NSLS competition and Rescue 2000 qualifying event
• * optional event and Rescue 2000 qualifying event