International Water Safety Experts to Headline Conference

International Water Safety Experts to Headline Water Safety Conference

The US coastguard; the owner of the world’s largest swim school for babies and toddlers; and comedian Oscar Kightley are just three of the world-class speakers to feature at the 2013 International Water Safety and Aquatic Education Conference in Queenstown this October.

The inaugural conference – hosted by Water Safety New Zealand and AUSTSWIM – will be held from October 3-5, 2013; and replaces the AUSTSWIM National Aquatic Education Conference and the New Zealand Water Safety Conference. An impressive list of international water safety experts will share their knowledge with 300 plus delegates expected to attend.

Included in the line-up from the US coastguard and Chief of the Boating Safety Division Jeff Hoedt, who oversees the Coast Guard’s efforts at reducing fatalities, injuries, and property losses in recreational boating in the United States. Jeff will lead discussion to aid New Zealand’s efforts at reducing the country’s high boating related drowning deaths.

Water Babies co-owner Paul Thompson will share his story of how he started the multi-million dollar franchise with his wife Jess in 2002 with £2000 - while looking after his 18-month-old daughter. Within a month, they had 100 clients and a few months later the Water Babies franchise network was born. Water Babies now has a turnover of more than £25 million and teaches more than 33,000 babies and toddlers to swim each week.

Celebrated actor, comedian and former non-swimmer, Oscar Kightley, is learning to swim through Water Safety New Zealand. He will share his life-changing experience.

Also presenting is Peter Chennell from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, who will discuss the latest UK lifejacket research; Quantum Events managing director and former competitive swimmer Scott Rice, who runs the country’s largest swimming event, the State New Zealand Ocean Swim Series; and MC Frankie Stevens.
The conference will culminate with a gala dinner on the Saturday night where the winners of the 2013 Sealord New Zealand Water Safety Awards will be announced.

“We are delighted to have such a world-class line-up of speakers for the inaugural event and look forward to a fantastic conference,” says Water Safety New Zealand Chief Executive Matt Claridge.

“From creating a global franchise of swim schools to protecting the nation’s coastlines, our speakers offer a wide variety of expert knowledge and information.”

Over two information-packed days, conference participants from across the sector will present and discuss a wealth of initiatives, concepts, research and programs in water safety and aquatic education. Pre-conference workshops delivered by both AUSTSWIM and Water Safety New Zealand will also be held.

AUSTSWIM will offer a range of sessions for the swimming teacher/school coordinator focusing on the delivery of learn to swim and water safety programs for a range of groups including infant, pre-schooler, school aged children and access and inclusion programmes. In addition AUSTSWIM will be providing the opportunity for AUSTSWIM Licenced teachers to gain further accreditations in the area of Towards Competitive Strokes and the newly released Access and Inclusion course.

The event is open to anyone that would like to attend and registrations can be made online at www.nzconference.co.nz/watersafetyconference2013.

ENDS

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