Team Ireland makes history at the European Championships in Wales with a haul of 18 medals

Aug 27, 2015

Ireland’s top Lifeguards have won 18 medals in Wales competing against Europe’s finest athletes at the European Lifesaving Championships http://www.lifesaving2015.co.uk Ireland have never won so many medals at and International event before.
Medal Winners were:
Bernard Cahill from Clare won Gold in the Surf Swim at 500m ;
Denise Bolger from Wexford & Emer Kelly from Wicklow won Gold in the Line Throw
Dave Butler from Dublin and Cameron Steele from Wexford won Gold in the Line Throw
Denise Bolger from Wexford won Gold in the 90 metre Sprint
Roisin Cahill & Lily Barrett from Clare won Silver in the women’s Board Rescue race
Bernard Cahill won Silver in Surf Board Race at 500m and Silver in the Ironman competition which is a combination of a 2000 Metre Swim, Board, ski and run race.
Dave Butler from Dublin, Joe Mooney from Sligo, Bernard Cahill from Clare and James Hassey Waterford won Bronze in the Simulated Emergency Response Competition(SERC)
Denise Bolger from Wexford, Emer Kelly from Wicklow, Emma O’Brien from Wicklow and Brodie Edmead from Cork won Bronze in the Sprint Relay.
Ireland was 5th overall in the Beach Competitions and 9th in the combined pool and beach events. The teams broke 27 Irish Records which was a phenomenal success and a plethora of personal best performances.
If you wish to speak with any of the competitors/coaches/team managers, please contact: John Leech johnleech@iws.ie 087 6789600
For further information and photographs
https://www.facebook.com/SurfLifesavingIreland?fref=ts
Irish Water Safety, The Long Walk, Galway
LoCall 1890-420.202; Tel 091-56.44.00; Fax 091-56.47.00;
John Leech: 087-6789600,
www.iws.ie; info@iws.ie
MEDIA NOTES:
Ireland already has an excellent reputation as a competitor on the international stage in lifesaving events with several international awards and this will be further enhanced by our strongest ever team now competing in Australia.
Lifesaving has never been stronger in Ireland, especially at the grass roots level. We have thousands of kids, teenagers and adults with a particularly growing sector of 8-14 year old nippers who come through participating in Irish Water Safety Lifesaving classes and competitions. The drop off rate during adolescence is a lot less than in other sports.
The sport of lifesaving is unique as it injects a lifesaving skill back into a community and the training is all volunteer based making it a special activity that people want to be involved in and get so much enjoyment from. Having an Irish team at an event like Rescue 2012 in Australia, and with some exciting competitions between all the top nations, can only improve the standard of international lifesaving competition, increase the numbers of young people who will be attracted to the movement, and contribute to an improvement in aquatic safety in Ireland and around the world. It also improves standards within the lifeguarding community.
The sport of Lifesaving:
 Life Saving Sport is recognised as an Olympic Category two Sport and it is recognised by the International Olympic Committee and the World Sports federation.
 The sport is controlled by International Lifesaving (ILS) Sport and this organisation is recognised by IOC as the controlling body for the sport worldwide. There are over one hundred countries registered as members of ILS.
 Within Europe the sport is controlled by International Lifesaving Sport Europe, a subsidiary body of ILS.
 Irish Water Safety is and has always been recognised by both bodies as the National Governing Body for the sport in Ireland.
 Irish Water Safety has organised the sport in Ireland since 1946. His Excellency President Sean T. O’Ceallaigh presented the President’s Award to IWS in 1950 for competition between the counties of Ireland and it is competed for every year since then.
 ILS ,ILSE and IWS all subscribe to WADA.
 The sport holds European and World Championships in addition to National Championships ,
 The sport is controlled within IWS by a ”SPORTS COMMISSION”. Participation in competitions has been part funded by IWS and the Irish Sports Council.
 Life Saving Sport is quite distinct in that the disciplines in which people compete are directly related to elements of lifeguarding.