East Lindsey leisure centre lifeguards triumph in national competition

A record 981 lifeguards from 57 pools across the UK competed in this year’s CIMSPA & IQL UK Lifeguard Triathlon, which finished this week after a month of intense competition between teams and individuals.

The competition is based on key principles of the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) and tests lifeguards’ CPR, rescue swim and theory skills.

Horncastle Swimming Pool came out at number three in the list of top five centres (decided by averaging the scores of each team’s leading four lifeguards), closely followed at number four by the Embassy Swimming Pool in Skegness and the Meridian Leisure Centre at number five.

They three teams were pipped to the post by Essex’s Frinton and Walton Swimming Pool at number one, and Guildford Spectrum at number two.

In the individual categories, five lifeguards from the district featured in the top 20 female list - Stephanie Gladding (6), Gemma Gray (8), Alice Turner (10), Sarah Morgan (15), and Jaye Addison (20).

The top 20 males included James Roark (4), Sam Helliwell (6), Mark Dilks (12), Jordan Bloodworth (15), and Nick Marshall (18).

Leisure Operations Manager Aeneas Richardson said: “The results from this competition show that our District Council-run swimming pools boast some of the best lifeguards in the UK.

“No fewer than 10 of our lifeguards achieved a place in the top 20 male and female lists, and all three pools feature in the top five centres.

“This is an amazing achievement and something we are extremely pleased with.”