#watersafety – Irish Water Safety Life Savers continue to make great progress on the world stage, competing last month at Rescue 2014:  The World Life Saving Championships in Montpelier, France. 

Ten years ago at Rescue 04 Team Ireland were delighted to make some semi finals but at Rescue 2014 the Irish squad finished with 51 World medals, countless A and B finals and numerous Irish records to boot!

Teams from 34 nations competed to test their life saving skills in France. The sport is involves life saving skills thought in pools and beaches, and putting them in a race format to compete to be the best life saver.

In particular, Irish youths are ranked ninth in the world. You can read more about how the Irish got on in France here

#lifesaving – Competitors at the National Surf Lifesaving Championships had their skills and stamina tested in events that simulated emergency rescue scenarios in glorious sunshine and in an azure blue sea at Curracloe beach. The winning team from Clare dominated the competition with the fittest lifesavers nationwide at this annual gala of lifesaving. Ireland's best lifesavers were challenged in open water conditions off the Wexford coast to rescue simulated "casualties" in testing run, swim, board rescue, surf ski races and ocean man events. However the dominance of Clare came through with exceptional results with three Clare teams in the first four teams.

The President's Trophy (Prize for winning County Team was presented by President Séan O'Kelly in 1950):

1st: Clare Men
2nd: Donegal Ladies
3rd : Clare Ladies
4th : Clare Men B Team
5th : Waterford Men
6th : Galway Men

Irish Water Safety Chief Executive, John Leech said these are the lifeguards who saved 559 members of the public during the heat wave in July. This is hardly surprising as we have 7 European medalist's competing on these teams. These athletes demonstrated great competence and professionalism today and made for a stunning spectacle on a sun drenched Curracloe Beach. It is a credit to Irish Water Safety coaches nationwide who spent all year preparing competitors around Ireland's coastline. Ireland won 10 Junior and senior European medals in Holland and Italy during the summer.

The Sport of Lifesaving offers lifesaving skills and the development of a healthy lifestyle. As part of its remit to promote water safety in Ireland, Irish Water Safety trains Lifeguards employed at beaches, lakes, rivers and pools nationwide. Irish Water Safety encourages the public to learn to swim and enroll in one of the many courses nationwide in the valuable skills of water survival and lifesaving.