WA Life Savers ready to prove themselves in Australian Pool Lifesaving Championships

16 athletes from Life Saving and Swim Clubs across the city are set to take on the rest of the nation in front of a home crowd, as Perth hosts the 2020 Australian Pool Life Saving Championships at HBF Stadium in Mount Claremont. 

The Australian Pool Life Saving Championships come to WA this year and our state team is keen to perform well after claiming second place last year in Sydney. The competition has been conducted in various forms since 1965, with the annual tournament now consisting of 3 days of Pool Lifesaving events combining an Under 14 and Senior (Under 16, Under 19, Open and Masters) Competition. The WA state team and the sport of pool lifesaving is proudly supported by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. 

Competitors at the Championships have the opportunity to be selected for the Australian Lifesaving Team that goes on to represent Australia at the Lifesaving World Championships in Italy in September 2020. WA’s representatives secured their places in the state team after taking part in a series of Development Sessions during September and October 2019, before competing in the State Trials in November.  

The athletes will compete in the National Championships, from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th January, under the guidance of WA State Coach Andrew Ridley, a qualified pool lifesaving coach and accomplished Surf Life Saving coach, mentor and assessor. 

Andrew has coached surf and pool lifesaving for over 15 years and has overseen the development of athletes from junior to national team level. He says “WA has produced some outstanding talent in recent years. We head into these championships, with depth across all age groups. This group of athletes is ready to show Australia and WA what they can achieve and also what the lifesaving pathway offers local swimmers.”

The 16 athletes who secured a place in the WA team this year are;