Brother and sister McLean, 17, and Carlin, 16, made Team Canada and will represent the country in two upcoming international competitions.

Hub Staff

Brother and sister McLean and Carlin Reid of Saugeen Shores were ecstatic when they learned they had been chosen to represent Canada on the world stage in two different International Lifesaving competitions.

Sixteen year old Carlin, the youngest to make Team Canada, will join nine other athletes chosen from across the country to compete as a team at the Sanyo Bussann International Lifesaving Cup in Miyazaki, Japan, June 30 to July 4.

The team will compete against seven other countries in a variety of surf events.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting with new people and competing with other countries, that's the most exciting thing,” Carlin said in an interview at Centennial Pool, June 16. “I've been selected as the runner so I am doing beach flags and 90 metre sprints and I'm the runner for the relays.”

Carlin recently placed first in her age group in the Ontario Junior Lifeguard Games which were held in Owen Sound.

Her brother, seventeen year old McLean Reid, along with Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club members Madison Ashton, 18, and Mackenzie Salmon, 22, will represent Canada at the World Lifesaving Championships, Rescue 2016 in Eindhoven, Netherlands, August 29 to September 12. They will compete against 32 countries with each athlete responsible for self-funding $4,000.

Last year at the Canadian Surf Lifesaving Championships in Nova Scotia, McLean competed against 180 people in a Pentathlon and took home Bronze in the 16 - 19 Men's Board Race and Surf Ski Race and won Gold in the 16 - 19 Men's Oceanman Race; which nationally ranked him second in the sport at just 16 years of age.

Mackenzie Salmon won Silver in the Open Men's Surf Swim during the Championships as well.

McLean said that the Lifesaving events are designed to train people for real life situations. “Object Carry could be carrying an unconscious victim and obstacle... a lot of people don't know this but going under the gate, that simulates diving down and grabbing someone that's already under the water. So there are a lot of things that relate to rescue situations, but it’s a fun sport and it’s all designed for humanitarian purposes,” McLean said.

Both siblings attend Saugeen District Secondary School, are a part of the Breakers Swim Team and lifeguard at Centennial Pool. To make it to Japan, Carlin has been fundraising since May, when she found out about her spot on team Canada. The cost of the tour is $3,200.

Both Reids have come up with interesting ways to get to the international competitions and the S.S.L.C. will donate a small portion towards each member who made Team Canada.

Carlin has organized a garage sale to raise some money and will continue to volunteer her time, six days, assisting with water safety development in Saugeen Shores to educate as well as inform. You can catch her at Gerry’s Fries in Southampton on June 25 and 26, as well as Port Elgin’s Main Beach when she returns from Japan, July 16 and 17. She is also asking for people to donate their unused Aeroplan points to help cover her flight to and from Japan. The total points needed are 90,000.

Both siblings are also asking relatives, friends, and neighbours for $5 donations, from those they hope to reach $1,000.

With the World Lifesaving Championships just a few months away, McLean and his other teammate, Maddie Ashton, will organize a few fundraising events throughout the busy summer months, such as bottle drives and barbecues. McLean has also created a GoFundMe page.

McLean stated that he and his sister have been around water from as far back as he could remember. “We’ve always had a paddle board and my mom has been associated with Lifesaving Canada for a long time so I grew up with it."

Both said competitors from Australia and New Zealand can be pretty tough competition on the beach and in the water but McLean isn't phased. “With how I performed in our Nationals last summer, I think I can keep up," he said.