02-27 NEWS:SPN Master pages 18/5/09 15:16 Page 8
spnnews
Golden Coast goes digital
NEWS IN BRIEF
Golden Coast has produced its 276-page 2009 Product Catalogue and Price New look for 2009 for
List on disc, providing users with a quick and easy way of searching Lifeguard
information on their computer of the 11,000 products held at the Championships
company’s Barnstaple warehouse. The National Pool Lifeguard
A printed brochure is still available and both it and the digital Championships is to be
version have product ranges grouped into colour-coded sections – for restructured in an effort to give it
swimming pools and equipment, hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms, solar wider appeal. A number of
heating and accessories such as chemicals and the like – to help users important changes have been
identify a particular product. The digital version has a ‘quick search’ facility agreed for the 2009 event. In an
that immediately locates the first page of the relevant section. effort to appeal to a wider
“Whilst there are those who still like printed books to hand on their audience teams will consist of four
desk, many of our customers are using computers as their main lifeguards as opposed to six. It
information database and require digital information, with the added was felt that having teams of six
benefit of an ‘instant’ search facility,” said Jamie Adams, Managing Director restricted the chances of getting
of Golden Coast. smaller pools and clubs entering.
“As well as meeting our customers’ needs, this is just the first step as we are It is likely there will be no final and
working on developing an ‘on-line’ version to be available on our new website.” no heats this year. A final decision
will be made during September.
The venue of the final is also to be
confirmed but will take place on
Recession drives swimmers to public pools
Saturday 28 November 2009.
Generally it was felt that 2008 was
Figures from market research company Mintel suggest there will be an extra 16 million visits made to the best championships to date
swimming pools this year. “In today’s health-conscious society, consumers will be very reluctant to give and that it would be a risk to
up on their exercise regimes simply because they are watching the pennies, but may well look for cheaper interfere with a successful format.
alternatives to expensive private health club memberships,” the firm said. Many leisure centres agreed However, following feedback from
with the report, saying they had enjoyed a surge in visitors in recent months. While many private clubs, team managers and competitors
such as Virgin Active, charge up to £90 a month to use their gym and swimming pools, council-run the ‘Assault Course’ will be
facilities, or ex-council leisure centres usually charge no more than £30 a month. Joe Bowe, Company replaced with an indoor team
Secretary at Kendal Lakes Leisure, which runs ex-council leisure centres said: “We are definitely picking event, most likely to be based on
up customers from private gyms.”In the last five years numbers of people using our swimming pool indoor rowing.
gradually and consistently fell, but there has been a massive upsurge in recent weeks. There is a lot of
snobbishness about public swimming pools, but we offer great value for money.”
Beijing water Cube to
become a theme park
The Water Cube, the Beijing
STA LAUNCH POOL Olympic Swimming Pool venue
DC Leisure awarded
SNORKELLING AWARD where Michael Phelps won more
The Swimming Teachers’ gold medals than any other
Swimathon Foundation grant
Association has launched a new Olympian in history, is to become
Snorkelling Programme based a water-themed fun park
DC Leisure has been awarded regional league tables, we also on a series of three progressive complete with a fake beach and
a £5,000 grant by the have our own internal awards designed to introduce wave machine.
Swimathon Foundation to challenge running between anyone from the age of eight to Already 11,000 of its 91,000
support swimming related the sites to enrol the highest the skills and techniques seats have been removed and
training and education. The number of participants.” required, for safe snorkelling in there are two events on the
money will be used to fund a During its time, the event a pool environment. The level 1 calendar. On the first anniversary
scheme to train and support 25 has attracted over 500,000 award provides an introduction of the Games on 8 August, a
aquatic coaches across the participants and raised over to snorkelling and provides a performance of Puccini’s opera
company’s 71 swimming pools. £30m for charity. one hour ‘fun’ introduction to Turandot will be the first show in
Thirty eight training and The Swimathon Foundation snorkelling and equipment, and the stadium since the Games
education grants have been is an independent registered its use. Level 2 will further closed. Zhang Hengli, the Deputy
awarded to staff at Swimathon charity which owns the increase the candidate’s Manager of the consortium
2008 pools and leisure centres Swimathon event. Originally knowledge and skills, and level 3 Stadium Operation Company,
across the UK. Last year’s devised as a swimmer introduces the ‘Buddy System’ said: “Most stadiums in the world
scheme proved so successful recruitment and retention where candidates will be taught run in normal methods are not
that Swimathon Foundation programme for local authority to snorkel with a buddy and able to make profit . . . stadiums
grants of up to £1,000 will be pools, the Swimathon exchange hand signals. in Beijing are mostly located in
offered again to pools challenges participants to swim busy areas so we can guarantee a
participating in or acting as a further, faster or for longer certain flow of people.”
host pool for Swimathon 2009. than they have done before. Economic conditions may let
Mark Haslam, Group The Swimathon Foundation him down, however. Mr Zhang
Swimming Manager for DC grants are intended to support said that the revenue from the
Leisure, explains: “The the training and education of 20,000 to 30,000 daily visitors
Swimathon event is a key leisure centre staff and could cover the maintenance
driver of swimmer recruitment volunteers to become more costs but, “to be honest, it’s not
for our pools. Not only are we involved and qualified in very easy to find regular uses for
keen to top the national and swimming. a stadium”.
8 swimming pool news JUNE 09 Digital edition available at www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
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