Surf lifesaving is a multifaceted social movement that comprises key aspects of voluntary lifeguard services and competitive surf sport. Originating in early 20th century Australia, the movement has expanded globally to other countries, including New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Surf lifesavers in Australia are colloquially known as "Clubbies".
A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, beach, spa, river and lake. Lifeguards are trained in swimming and CPR/AED first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on requirements of their particular venue. In some areas, lifeguards are part of the emergency services system to incidents and in some communities, lifeguards may function as the primary EMS provider.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK is a drowning prevention charity founded in 1891 in the UK. It has had Royal Patronage since 1904.
The International Life Saving Federation (ILS) is an organisation for drowning prevention, water safety, lifesaving and lifesaving sports.
The Royal Life Saving Society Canada, commonly known as the Lifesaving Society or LSS, is a Canadian registered charity that works to prevent water-related injuries through various programs across Canada. The Lifesaving Society is an independent organization that is composed of ten provincial/territorial branches, tens of thousands of individual members, and over 4,000 affiliated swimming pools, waterfronts, schools and clubs. The Society helps prevent drowning and aquatic injury through its training programs, public education, drowning-prevention research, safety management and overseeing the sport of lifesaving. They are one of five nationally recognized first aid training organizations in Canada, alongside the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, and the Canadian Ski Patrol.
Lifesaving is the act involving rescue, resuscitation and first aid. It often refers to water safety and aquatic rescue; however, it could include ice rescue, flood and river rescue, swimming pool rescue and other emergency medical services. Lifesaving also refers to sport where lifesavers compete based on skills, speed and teamwork. Lifesaving activities specialized in oceanic environment is called surf lifesaving or coastal lifesaving.
The ILS World Life Saving Championships are the world championships for lifesaving sport events. They are sanctioned by the International Life Saving Federation (ILS), conducted every 2 years, and formerly marketed and known as the ‘Rescue’ series, for example – Rescue 2008.
The Surf Life Saving Association of Wales (SLSAW) is the national governing body of surf lifesaving in Wales. It is a voluntary, not-for-profit, registered charity organisation. Its goal is "to prevent the loss of life through drowning". The SLSAW organise regional and national competitions—such as the SLSA Wales Stillwater Leagues and the SLSA Wales Ocean Masters Championships – and select and manage the Wales squad for international events, including the Celtic Challenge Cup.
Fabio Scozzoli is an Italian swimmer. At the 2012 World Short Course Championships, he won the gold medal in the 100 metre breaststroke. He is the 2022 Mediterranean champion in the 50 metre breaststroke.
Gregorio Paltrinieri is an Italian competitive swimmer. He is a former world record holder in the short course 1500 metre freestyle. He holds the European record in the long course 800 metre and 1500 metre freestyle events with times of 7:39.27 and 14:32.80, respectively. In the 1500 metre freestyle, he is a 2016 Olympic, three-time world long course, two-time world short course, three-time European long course, and three-time European short course champion. In the 800 metre freestyle, he is a 2019 world long course, 2022 world short course, three-time European long course, and 2021 European short course champion. In the 10 kilometre open water swim, he is a 2022 world and 2020 European champion. In the 5 kilometre open water swim, he is a two-time European champion.
Lifesaving South Africa (LSA) is a South African organisation that promotes water safety and provides surf rescue services. LSA is a founding member organisation of the International Life Saving Federation, and a member of Royal Life Saving Society. It is recognised by DSAC and SASCOC.
Alessandro Miressi is an Italian swimmer. He is a world record holder in the short course 4×100 metre freestyle relay and an Italian record holder in the long course and short course 100 metre freestyle. In the long course 100 metre freestyle, he was 2018 European champion, 2020 European Championships silver medalist, and 2022 European Championships bronze medalist. In the short course 100 metre freestyle, he was 2021 World champion, 2019 and 2021 European Championships silver medalist, and 2022 World Championships bronze medalist.
Thomas Ceccon is an Italian swimmer. He is a world record holder in the long course 100 metre backstroke and the short course 4×100 metre freestyle relay. He is also the Italian record holder in the long course 50 metre backstroke and 50 metre butterfly. He is the 2022 World champion in the 100 metre backstroke and 2022 European champion in the 100 metre backstroke and 50 metre butterfly. In the 100 metre individual medley, he won the gold medal at the 2022 World Short Course Championships and the bronze medal at the 2021 World Short Course Championships. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, he won a silver medal in 4×100 metre freestyle relay, a bronze medal in the 4×100 metre medley relay, placed fourth in the 100 metre bacsktroke, and placed twelfth in the 100 metre freestyle.
Lifesaving is an official discipline of the World Games, the Games with all the sports, recognized by the IOC but not yet in the Olympic program.
Marcello Tonelli is an Italian corporate and social strategist, best known for his work as an author in the field of sustainable development. As a veteran athlete, he set three world records in lifesaving and has been an accomplished international masters swimmer.
Lorenzo Mora is a competitive Italian swimmer. He is a world record holder in the short course 4×50 metre medley relay. He is the Italian record holder in the short course 100 metre backstroke and 200 metre backstroke. In the 50 metre backstroke, he won the silver medal at the 2021 World Short Course Championships and the bronze medal at the 2022 Mediterranean Games. In the 100 metre backstroke, he won the silver medal at each the 2022 World Short Course Championships and the 2022 Mediterranean Games. In the 200 metre backstroke, he won the bronze medal at the 2022 World Short Course Championships, the silver medal at the 2021 European Short Course Championships, and the gold medal at the 2022 Mediterranean Games.
Simone Cerasuolo is an Italian competitive swimmer. He is the world junior record holder in the short course 50 metre and 100 metre breaststroke events. In the 50 metre breaststroke, he won a gold medal at the 2021 European Junior Championships, the silver medal at the 2022 European Aquatics Championships, the bronze medal at the 2022 World Short Course Championships, and placed fifth at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships. In the 100 metre breaststroke, he won the bronze medal at the 2021 European Junior Championships and placed sixth in the final at the 2022 World Short Course Championships.
Dario Verani is an Italian competitive open water swimmer. At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, he won the world title and gold medal in the 25 kilometre open water swim. He won the silver medal in the 25 kilometre open water swim at the 2022 European Aquatics Championships and the bronze medal in the 5 kilometre open water swim at the 2020 European Aquatics Championships. He was champion in the 5 kilometre open water swim at the inaugural Mediterranean Beach Games in 2015.
Lorenzo Galossi is an Italian competitive swimmer. He is the world junior record in the long course 800-metre freestyle and the European junior record holder in the long course 400-metre freestyle. At the 2022 European Aquatics Championships, he won the bronze medal in the 800-metre freestyle. At the 2022 European Junior Championships, he won medals in three individual events, the gold medal each in the 400-metre freestyle and the 800-metre freestyle and the silver medal in the 200-metre freestyle.
Lucrezia Ruggiero is an Italian artistic swimmer. She won one gold medal each at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in the mixed duet technical routine and the mixed duet free routine. At the 2022 European Aquatics Championships, she won gold medals in the mixed duet technical routine and the mixed duet free routine.
Australia
New Zealand
Japan
Spain
USA
Germany
Italy
Argentina
Poland
France
Denmark
Canada
