Crawley Town LSC at the 2023 European Club and Masters Life Saving Championships

These Championships were attended by over 600 competitors, representing 100 clubs and was fully livestreamed. The pool-based competition was held in the 50m pool in Brugge, while the ocean-based events were held at the Belgium seaside resort of Blankenberge.

Martin Schofield, Crawley Town’s unofficial world number one Speed Line thrower, did not disappoint as he retained his European title in the paired Speed Line Throw with new catcher, Jacob Goodall. They took the gold medal a clear 2.29 seconds ahead of their nearest silver winning medal rivals from the German club, Luckenwalde.

Jennifer Amos, with catcher Donna Wickens, half of Crawley Town’s record breaking Ladies Masters team, also won a paired Speed Line Throw gold medal in the 55-59 Ladies Masters. Marsha Bayliss-Cutler, with catcher Vanesa Eagland, took the silver medal in the 45-49 age group. The four ladies then combined to set a new British record, winning silver medals in the 200+ Medley Relay, plus bronze medals in the Manikin Relay. Individually, Donna notched up yet another British record when finishing in silver position in the 55-59 100m Obstacles, but on this occasion had to be content with just a bronze medal in her favoured 50m Manikin Carry, for which she also holds the British record.

Following what has been yet another successful season, Crawley Town is now starting to seriously focus on next year’s World Championships taking place on Australia’s magnificent Gold Coast, home of Surf Lifesaving. The Championships will involve National, Club and Masters competitions. Trialling for the GBR National team will start in January at the Welsh National pool championships, followed by the RLSS SPEED Championships in March and the SLS-GB pool championships around April time, finishing up with the only and final beach trial which is likely to be held in Cornwall in May.

If you want to be a part of the action, please come along, and enjoy one of our training sessions on Tuesday evening from 8.00 to 10.00pm at the K2 Sports Centre.