Help Send Caitlyn to the 2024 Lifesaving World Championships

The first summer of Covid when pools were closed, 12-year-old Caitlyn Fowler tried out open water swimming and lifesaving sport on the beach as a means of having fun and staying fit. She developed a passion for both sports and continued with them after pools reopened and she was back practicing with her swim club, the Winskill Dolphins. Highlights of her antics in both sports include swimming 12.4km across Boundary Bay that first summer, and representing Canada at the Commonwealth Lifesaving Championship (pool events) last year in Windsor, Ontario.

This summer Caitlyn is heading out on her greatest adventure yet with these sports - representing Canada as a member of the national youth team at the Lifesaving World Championships in Australia, from August 27-September 1. She has also been named captain of the 12-member youth team, which is a great honour!

Lifesaving Society Canada Team Announcement

Lifesaving sport is the only sport whose skills are first learned for humanitarian purposes. During the World Championships Caitlyn will have the opportunity to represent Canada in the Simulated Emergency Rescue Competition (SERC - Caitlyn was a member of the team that placed fourth at Commonwealths last year), battle it out in some ocean events including the surf race, and swim in the amazing outdoor Gold Coast Aquatic Centre.

Because lifesaving sport is in it's infancy in Canada compared to heavyweight countries like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Spain and France, there's no funding to support Canadian athletes competing in international events. That's why Caitlyn is asking for your support, to help defray some of the cost of participating at Worlds. Any financial support you can offer is appreciated, so that Caitlyn can focus on testing her lifesaving skills against the world's best competitors in the sport!