Underwater hurdles a stones throw from his home turf proved good enough for Martin Henderson as he finished near the top at the Canadian Pool Lifesaving Championships held at Commonwealth pool in Saanich from June 7-9.
The aquatic coordinator for Panorama Recreation Centre in North Saanich, Henderson’s top finish was fifth in his second time competing at the national competition.
A lifeguard since 2009, Henderson first started competing in technical skills competitions – based primarily on first aid and rescue techniques with one fitness relay.
In 2018, a friend clued him in to the lifesaving championships and he jumped on the four-member Team B.C. He figured, “I can swim, I’ll give it a shot.” Henderson finished fifth place in the 200m obstacle swim 19+ division and sixth place in the 50m manikin carry 19+ division at the competitions held in Saanich in June.
“I call it swimming with extra steps,” Henderson explained with a laugh.
Events include towing a manikin while swimming, picking up heavy items from the bottom of the pool and reverse hurdles alongside like throwing and relays. The province is generally underrepresented in the national competitions and Henderson is among those trying to build the sport in B.C. He plans to run a course this summer for the staff at panorama and in Nanaimo promoting the program.
Panorama is starting a juniors club next year to get 8 to 12 year olds on board “and hopefully building up from a young age,” he said. That would build up to a Lifeguard Academy where kids that age could learn first-aid skills, lifesaving skills and swim practices – feeding into the younger categories at the lifesaving competitions. “The juniors have smaller obstacles and lighter manikins but it gets them started in the sport at a younger age,” Henderson said.
The goal is also to “keep them in the water, keep them engaged” leaving lifeguarding as an option for them in the future.
“In general, lifeguarding is a really really good skill," said Henderson. "Kids finish their swimming lessons at 9 or 10 years old and then they do nothing in the water for however long.”
This would offer young people a place build and maintain lifesaving and critical thinking skills. “I think it’s invaluable in general no matter what you’re doing with your life,” he said.
The recent competition featured athletes aged 16 to 60. No matter whether through lessons or an academy, for fun or competition, the local lifeguard is clearly a proponent of swimming as a safety measure.
“Learn to swim enough that you’re not scared in the water. It’s a very important skill, and I know it’s very hard to get into swimming lessons right now because it’s such high demand. But it’s a skill everyone should have.”
