Lifeguard Competitions
Continuous training is necessary to maintain lifeguarding skills and knowledge. Formal competitions have developed as a way to encourage training, and also as a social activity. In Australia, the annual Surf Lifesaving competition at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast is the largest athletic event in the world after the Olympic Games with tens of thousands of lifeguards competing. Lifeguard competitions include both physical events and technical (medical) events. Technical events are challenging accident simulations in which guards are evaluated on their adherence to treatment standards. These events are a subject of controversy amongst some lifeguards due to their subjectivity. Purely physical competitions have recently become more popular, often including various combinations of running, swimming, paddleboarding, and surf skiing. Most lifeguard competitions include an Ironman event that combines three different physical activities.
- Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, Perth Australia
- Risser's Beach, Nova Scotia
- Bournemouth Lifeguards Corps Regatta, UK
- Nova Scotia Surf League
- British Universities Lifesaving Clubs Association League
- Federacion Aragonesa de Salvamento y Socorrismo
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