The Canadian Lifeguard Challenge makes a splash at Martinique beach

After a three-year pause, the Canadian Lifeguard Challenge had athletes from across Canada to showcase the top Surf Lifesaving Athletes in Canada.

Co-hosted by the Lifesaving Society Ontario and Lifesaving Society Nova Scotia, this sport challenges athletes strength, speed, endurance and life-saving skills.

The challenge is a course with three rounds called the Oceanman. It includes a 400 meter swim, 600 meter paddle board, and a 700 meter surf ski.

It is an extreme sport where elite athletes strive to be the best.

“You need to be fit. You need to be reading the waves, knowing the ocean, and use the ocean to your advantage when you’re making rescues or when you’re racing. So that’s a skill that’s very transferrable,” said Paul D’eon, director of the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service.

This year’s challenge winner and Canadian Iron Man, Jason Cross, has been competing in this challenge for 35 years.

“I was really impressed that people were 35 were winning for 10-years plus so I thought that’s where I want to be,” said Cross.

Cross is now 51 years-old and said he is exactly where he wanted to be. Since starting, he has been the reigning champ in the competitions.

“I really believe in lifelong enjoyment of sport is more important than being the best in Canada, the world, or whatever,” he said.

It is the first time in three years since the challenge returned. Due to the pandemic, all competitions were put on pause.

For this year’s Oceanwoman winner, Sandrine Myers who spent her time training in lake waters in Quebec said she is happy to be returning the salty ocean.

“It’s a lot of experience you have to be out there and get different conditions and learn from the ocean and be able to react differently so it was really good to get back into it,” said Myers.

Like Cross, Myers said she hopes to continue competing for as long as she can. “After doing it for so many years, hopefully I’ll stay in shape to do it!”