Holly Maine competes in Lifesaving World Championships
“It was an experience of a lifetime,” said sophomore Holly Maine.
This year, Maine joined the US youth team to compete in the Lifesaving World Championships, an international event that brings youth and adult teams from all over the world to compete in lifeguard simulations
Teams traveled to France on Sept. 16 to compete for their country. The competition takes place every 2 years. It features individual and team events such as ocean swimming, running, paddle boarding, and mock rescues.
“You have to send in an application and they choose you based on your past records,” Maine said. Maine had previously competed in the national competition and won the Surf Race (an ocean swim), and the Iron Guard (a swimming, running, and paddling event).
When Maine found out in August that she was going to be on the US team for the Lifesaving World Championships, she began training immediately. Maine said “I only had a month to train … I still hadn’t even met half my team, so it was kind of hard.”
She worked with her coaches, Casey Graham and Gus Avila, as well as her team members. They met at beaches to do run throughs of the events and practiced as much as they could for the competition. “My goal as a coach was to take the most prepared team that we could take,” Graham said.
“I just wanted to finish all the races really strong,” Maine said. “I was one of the youngest people there, so I think one of my goals was trying to keep up with the older people.”
While her friends were getting ready for homecoming, Maine hopped on a plane and flew to France. The competition lasted four days. Two days were spent on the beach, and two were spent at a pool. For every event that a country competed in, points were awarded for 1st through 16th place. The US Youth Team finished in 12th place overall. “We’re just so proud of Holly” said sophomore, Kiara Buckley, a friend of Maine.
“It was kind of crazy the whole time,” Maine said. She hopes to go back to the national team and attend the Lifesaving World Championships again in 2016. “I hope to go back there and win something.” Maine said.
