Colette Barrett participated in senior challenges July 21 as Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club hosted the Sunset Lifeguarding Competition at the Port Elgin Main Beach July 21 and 22.

Hub Staff

Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club (SSLC) played host to the third annual Sunset Lifeguarding Competitition which saw 25 competitors from from the likes of Toronto, Guelph and Quebec as well as Saugeen Shores. Held at the Port Elgin Main Beach, senior competition took place on Saturday, July 21 while junior action got underway on Sunday, July 22.

SSLC Coach Michael Hundt said the Saugeen Shores athletes did “extremely well” in the two days of competition. “It showed that many of the athletes have been training hard on a regular basis over the past three weeks,” he said.

“[SSLC] had some great races and lots of athletes had some of their strongest performances - on craft, in the sand and swimming - that they have had in the past year,” said Hundt. “Waterfront is a little different than pool because the conditions always change. We time the events but it is based off the finish placings and can be harder to compare results as the conditions from one race to the next can change,” he explained.

During the first day of competition the waters of Lake Huron reached 12 degrees and many lifesavers donned wetsuits to keep warm in the frigid waters. During the second day of competition, Hundt said the rain made the beach flags a little more muddy but it did not impede the athletes’ performance. “Everyone seemed to be smiling ear to ear at the end of the day,” said Hundt of Sunday’s competition. “Saturday the water was cold and definitely made it a different experience to race in but some athletes were able to push past the cold and focus on their races,” he said.

The competition was sanctioned by the Lifesaving Society and events included Canadian Iron Guard, Board Race, Surf Ski Race, Rescue Tube Relay, Board Rescue Relay, Ocean Man/Ocean Woman Relay, Surf Swim, Beach Run 2km and Beach Flags.

Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club (SSLC) athlete David Parsons during the SSLC hosted Sunset Lifeguarding July 21.

Lifesaver Aurora Jacobi races out of the water during competition.

The top three competitors in the Relay event held on the first day of competition were, from left, Ali Ferguson (second place), Sebastian Reiner (first place) and Braydon Reid (third place).

Braydon Reid during the Sunset Lifeguarding Competiton Competition at the Port Elgin Main Beach.

The women’s Surf Ski competition July 21 at the Port Elgin Main Beach.

Carlin Reid of Saugeen Shores during senior competition July 21.

Competitors paddle their way around the markers during the Relay portion of competition.