This Summer, Paul Sadler Swimland will once again host Open Water swims.
The transition from swimming pool to the open water is significant, with the Royal Life Saving Association estimating that the distance you can cover in the pool equating to just 10% in open water. Therefore for a young swimmer who has achieved their 1km medal, can swim an equivalent of just 100 meters in open water.
These open water swims are vitally important to our program because we understand that in enabling stronger, safer swimmers we need to support them through a range of activities and situations. With open water presenting different conditions like colder water, currents, seaweed, salty water, water not as clear, waves, plus the potential for quite a lot of surface movement if windy, the environment can throw even the most capable swimmer. We pride ourselves on being the Survival Specialists and therefore we build our programs around the range of skills a swimmer needs to be safer, including swimming in the open water.
We first started these swims in 2013 and currently run them yearly. Over the years we have had over 1500 children participate and achieve their open water swim certificate.
This February/March, Paul Sadler Swimland will again host our Open Water Swim in Bendigo, Brighton Baths in Melbourne and in Townsville. During these events our young swimmers who have achieved their Swordy 1km medal have been invited to take part in this fantastic event.
With drowning still the leading cause of accidental death of children aged under 5 years,* plus the fact that more people drown in rivers, lakes and dams than anywhere else, teaching children skills to swim safer in a range of environments is incredibly important. Particularly when, according to the American Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, participation in formal swimming lessons was associated with an 88% reduction in the risk of drowning.
Open water swims allow kids the opportunity to convert their swimming skills, learnt in a pool and gives them the experience in open water, which helps them be more confident in a range of conditions. It is a vital part of our program that we are extremely passionate about and we look forward to helping many more children reach this important milestone.
*SOURCE: Royal Life Saving National Drowning Report 2018