Safeguarding PSA rowing champions in regatta series

Royal Life Saving WA is excited to be providing professional lifeguarding services for this year’s PSA Rowing Regatta season.

The PSA, or Public Schools Association, is an association dating back to 1905 that today includes Aquinas College, Christ Church Grammar School, Guildford Grammar School, Hale School, Scotch College, Trinity College and Wesley College. 

Rowing is a long-held tradition of the PSA, and the Head of the River regatta is held each year in early autumn. Crews from all seven PSA schools compete in five regattas in preparation for the Head of the River challenge, which will take place this year on 20th March. The regattas are conducted at the Champion Lakes Regatta Centre, a purpose-built rowing course at Champion Lakes in Kelmscott.

Royal Life Saving WA Professional Lifeguards Jake Manning and Gemima Rahman attended the regatta hosted by Scotch College on Saturday 20th February to provide water safety services for the event. The 7am start was no issue for the pair, who are accustomed to attending a variety of events and locations in the course of their professional lifeguarding roles.

Positioned on the water in a fuel-injected inflatable boat, Jake and Gemima worked together as a team to ensure the safety of everyone participating in the action. They were equipped with rescue tubes, throw rope, and standard lifeguarding items to fulfil their duties. 

A First Aid service was present at the event but situated on the island where athletes prepare for and return after their races. Jake and Gemima, therefore, as potential first responders to any incidents occurring on the water, also kept a first aid supply including oxygen close at hand.

Brett Silver, Director of Sport at Trinity College and one of the regatta event organisers, was very pleased with the services provided by our Professional Lifeguard team. “Thank you so much for arranging the water safety team for our regatta last weekend,” he said. “They were great, and I received great feedback in having them there – so good that we’d like to book them or a similar crew for all of our regattas this term. It’s so much better having them on the water!”

Good luck to everyone competing in the upcoming regattas and we look forward to seeing who will become the 2021 Head of the River!

Learn more about Royal Life Saving WA’s Professional Lifeguard services at the link below.