Making a splash at the 2025 Pool Lifeguard Challenge

The 2025 Pool Lifeguard Challenge was held today, with 17 teams from various aquatic centres across WA competing for the top spot. Alternating locations for each competition, this year’s event was hosted by the Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre.   
 
The challenge, sponsored by the LIWA Aquatics, and facilitated by Royal Life Saving WA, aims to test the skills of lifeguards, encourages the continued improvement, and builds camaraderie amongst lifeguard teams and aquatic centres across WA.   
 
Teams competing this year included Swan Active, Armadale Fitness and Aquatic Centre, Beatty Park Leisure Centre, Cockburn ARC, Bayswater Waves, Fremantle Leisure Centre, Kwinana Recquatic, and of course the hosting aquatic centre, Mandurah.    
 
The day began with swimming and water events which included manikin tow relays, obstacle relays and object recovery relays. This tested the physical strength, endurance, and teamwork of the lifeguards.   
 
The second half of the day consisted of a variety of both wet and dry scenarios which challenged communication skills in every way. This included manikin retrievals with CPR and a supervision and scanning exercise, both of which simulated rescue scenarios. There was also a first aid component in which participants had to respond to medical emergencies, assessing their abilities to communicate, apply first aid procedures and work efficiently under pressure.  

Finally, the teams’ communication and observation skills were tested with blindfold challenges, memory and spot the difference games, and a twist on the game Taboo.  

The teams showed fantastic skill in their response to challenges thrown their way and appreciated the feedback from the judges on areas that could be improved in future. At the end of the day the top three teams were: Stirling Leisure Centre, Inglewood in third and City of Canning in second, while Swan Active took out first place!   

Royal Life Saving and LIWA Aquatics would like to congratulate all the competing teams for their performances this year and we look forward to seeing each of them return in 2026.  

We hope all competitors return to their centres with a new sense of the importance of the role they play in keeping aquatic centre patrons safe as they enjoy water activities.