Risser's Beach to Host National Lifesaving Championship

SPORT/RECREATION COMMISSION--Risser's Beach to Host National Lifesaving Championship

Risser's Beach, Lunenburg Co., will be the location for the third annual Canadian Surf Lifesaving Championship on Aug. 26 and 27. The championship is sanctioned by the Lifesaving Society, Canada's governing body for lifesaving sport.

The Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service has hosted the Canadian Surf Lifesaving Championship at Risser's Beach every year since its inauguration in 2000.

"The sea and surf conditions at Risser's are ideal for this championship," said Doug Ferguson, Canada's lifesaving sport commissioner. "Apart from officials and competitors asking to come back to this location, the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service's experience in organizing this event has grown substantially."

Surf lifesaving is contributing to growing the sport of lifesaving, which recently gained International Olympic Committee recognition.

"In Nova Scotia, competitive interest in surf lifesaving is growing as a result of introducing the Nova Scotia Surf League as a preliminary competition leading up to the national championship," said Paul D'Eon, director of the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service.

More than 150 lifeguards from Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia will be competing to overthrow the reigning champions, the City of Toronto.

The 2002 championship will feature 12 men's and women's individual and team events, including:

Surf Teams Race Rescue Tube Rescue Beach Flags Beach Sprint Beach Relay Beach Run - two kilometres Board Race Surf Ski Race Board Rescue Run-Swim-Run Canadian Ironwoman/Ironman Canadian Taplin Relay

More information is available on the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service Web site at www.nsls.ns.ca/ -- click on 2002 Canadian Surf Lifesaving Championships.

The Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service is a joint project of the Nova Scotia Sport and Recreation Commission and the Lifesaving Society, Nova Scotia Branch.