Lifesaving World Championships

Every two years the International Life Saving Federation organises the Lifesaving World Championships (LWC).

The Lifesaving World Championships include:

  • The World Championships for National Teams – Open Category.
  • The World Championships for National Teams – Youth Category.
  • The World Championships for National Teams – Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRB).
  • The World Championships for Interclub – Open Category.
  • The World Championships for Interclub – Youth Category.
  • The World Championships for Interclub – Masters.
  • The World Championships for Interclub – Surfboats.
  • The World Championships for Interclub – Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRB).
  • The World Championships for Extra Events such as March Past, Long distance Races,etc.

The World Championships typically involve between 4,000 and 5,000 competitors, 1,000 team officials and coaches and more than 300 Technical officials and last some 17-18 days.

History

Since 1986, the Lifesaving World Championships have travelled across the world, bringing the lifesaving sport community together in a wide range of pool, beach and ocean disciplines. Each edition has reflected both the development of the sport and the character of its host country, from major aquatic centres to iconic coastal venues.

The next Lifesaving World Championships will take place in Port Elizabeth – Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa, in 2026.

The previous edition, LWC 2022, was held in Riccione, Italy, from 21 September to 2 October 2022. Originally planned as LWC 2020, the event was postponed because of the global disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and was eventually delivered with a reduced programme.

Past editions have been hosted in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Great Britain, the United States, Egypt and the Netherlands. Together, these Championships tell the story of a sport rooted in lifesaving skills, international cooperation and athletic excellence.

Results

Visit the LWC sports page for competition results, records, and athlete/team information.