Phuket Surf Lifesaving Carnival a hit with tourists
The event, organized by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization and sponsored by the Phuket Gazette, began at 9am with competitive events with age categories ranging from under 15s to over 50s.
Among the numerous competitions were beach sprints, beach relays, a surf race, a rescue board race, iron man and woman events, a 2km beach run and a Phuket rescue relay.
Many of the contestants were members of the Phuket Lifeguard Club, but there were also many local residents and tourists giving it a go.
Some surfboard competitors had never held a board before.
Gesturing toward some female competitors, carnival referee and member of the Australian lifeguard training team said, “Just some Aussie girls looking for a bit of fun.”
Delphine Jurgens, on vacation from France with her family, said she was happy to have caught an event like this during their stay.
“I feel alive and happy here, watching my son have fun racing,” she said.
The one day event is aimed to raise awareness and show that water safety and learning lifesaving techniques can be fun, organizers said.
— Alexandra Andersson
