Saugeen Shores senior competitors finish third in provincial competition

The Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club seniors took third place out of 12 teams from across Ontario at Lifesaving Waterfront Provincial Championships.

Hub Staff

Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club's senior level competitors finished third out of 12 teams for the Senior Lifesaving Waterfront Provincial Championships August 13 to 15 with the Toronto Police Lifeguard Service taking top spot.

Over 100 of Ontario’s top lifesavers, including an entrant from Japan, took to the Saugeen Shores waterfront to compete. The senior level welcomes competitors 16 years of age or older who hold a current Lifesaving Society Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross or National Lifeguard certification to compete.

Clubs travelled from Ottawa, Waterloo and Toronto for the waterfront championships and joined Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club (SSLC) who had a number of female and male athletes competing at the provincial competition ahead of the nationals in Nova Scotia at the end of August.

SSLC’s Madison Ashton who competed in a variety of events was pleased with her overall performance and said the event was awesome. “I'm so glad we hosted it, this it was tons of fun,” she said. “It brings so much to Port and South.”

Ashton said the caliber of athletes in the event helped her to raise her game. “It's good to get the athletes from Toronto and Ottawa to get some good competition,” she said. “It also helps that there's so many athletes. Just the sheer number of athletes you get out here is incredible for us.”

The competition kicked off August 13 with Deputy Mayor Luke Charbonneau addressing the athletes and welcoming them to Saugeen Shores with trials and finals taking place on Port Elgin Main Beach August 14 and final races and closing ceremonies taking place in Southampton August 15.

“I'm very pleased how everybody did. It was a great week,” said SSLC Coach Micheal Hundt praising the Saugeen Shores athletes. “It's been a gruelling couple of days.”

Saugeen Shores Aquatics Supervisor Shanna Reid said she was extremely pleased with the whole event. “We had great weather, the competitors seemed happy, the officials seemed happy. It went very smoothly and Saugeen Shores came third.”

Toronto Police Lifeguard Service took the title of 2017 champions at the Ontario Senior Lifesaving Championships held in Port Elgin and Southampton.

Deputy Mayor Luke Charbonneau welcomed the 114 senior lifesavers to Saugeen Shores August 13 during the Ontario Senior Waterfront Provincial Championships opening ceremony.

Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club athlete Katie Stoner read the Athlete’s Code during the opening ceremonies August 13 at Port Elgin Main Beach.

Austin DeVries of Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club competing in a heat 16-19 Board Race August 14 at Port Elgin Main Beach, part of the Lifesaving Waterfront Provincial Championships.

From right: Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club (SSLC) competitors Christian Perico, Cameron McEwen, Michael Bohnert, Sebastian Warchol of Toronto Police Lifesaving Service, and Tyler Donaldson of SSLC during the Mens 16-19 Board Race heat that would see Perico and Bohnert place second and third respectively in the final behind McLean Reid of Saugeen Shores who competed for Toronto club.

McLean Reid of Saugeen Shores competing for Toronto Police Lifesaving Club during the 16-19 Board Race final, with Christian Perico, Michael Bohnert and Braeden Ashton hot on his wake.

Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club's Cameron McEwen (right) sprints next to Markham’s Lifesaving Club’s Aramis Cheung in the 16 to 19 year old Men's Beach Relay August 15. McEwen, along with Braeden Ashton, Michael Bohnert and Christian Perico took third place for Saugeen Shores.

Toronto Police Lifeguard Service's Jessey the Elf crosses the finishing line first in the Men's Open Beach Run, August 14. Elf was the overall winner of the Men’s Open in the Ontario Senior Lifesaving Championship.

Speed and observation were key as Saugeen Shores' Madison Ashton (right) races against Summer Sandford of Toronto Police Lifeguard Service (left) and Aneesha Nath of Richmond Hill Lifesaving Club in the 16 to 19 year old Women's Beach Flag event.

The Women's 16 to 19 year old Canadian Ironguard, held at Port Elgin's Main Beach, got underway with swimming followed by running and paddle boarding.