Earlier this month, Cochrane’s own Water Ninjas dove into competition at the 2025 Alberta and Northwest Territories Provincial Lifesaving Championships—bringing home two banners and solidifying their status as one of Alberta’s elite lifesaving clubs.
The event, held April 4 to 6 at the Remington YMCA in Calgary, marked the final meet of the Water Ninjas’ season. Events included manikin carry, obstacle relay, rescue medley, and the Simulated Emergency Response Competition (SERC).
“This weekend was nothing short of incredible,” said Patsy Lindsay, assistant head coach of the Water Ninjas. “Our swimmers showed resilience, teamwork and true sportsmanship. We’re especially grateful to the many parents who volunteered countless hours to make this event a success. We could not be prouder of our athletes and community.”
The Water Ninjas sent 87 swimmers to provincials, earning approximately 111 medals. Their standout performances helped the club clinch two provincial banners: one for the championships and another for the junior games.
Notable milestones achieved by the club included:
- Six new Canadian records
- Eight new Alberta records
- Twenty-four new club records
- Nine swimmers pre-selected for Team Canada
“It really was a great benchmark to see everyone’s successes,” said Lindsay. “The medals are always a bonus—placements too—but to see how people swam, the progress they’ve made, and the time they’ve taken off their personal bests was the proudest moment.”
The weekend kicked off Friday with the SERC, where all three Water Ninja teams swept the podium—earning gold, silver and bronze.
Saturday featured 33 swimmers competing in the AB & NWT Pool Lifesaving Championships, a long course event for athletes aged 14 and up. Many Water Ninjas set new personal bests.
On Sunday, the focus shifted to the Lifesaving Sport Junior Games— a short course meet for athletes 15 and under. Fifty-four swimmers and nine coaches from the club attended, with many of the club’s youngest athletes surpassing seasonal bests.
“We’re trying to come up with our most improved swimmer for the year and we’re having a really hard time,” said Lindsay. “We’ve had a lot of newcomers this season, ranging in age from seven to 60 years old. There are just too many swimmers who’ve improved in their strokes, transitions and overall swim ability.”
Looking ahead, select Water Ninjas will represent the club at the Canadian Pool Lifesaving Championships, to be held May 9 to 11 in Windsor, Ont.
“Even though we have a smaller team going to nationals this year, we still plan on showing up and doing our best,” said Lindsay.
