History of our Club

Lifesaving in Crawley started as a section of Crawley Swimming Club in 1964 and became independant from the club with its first night in the pool as Crawley Town Lifesaving Club in August 1972. The club shared the pool time with the Subaqua Club where they had the bottom of the pool and we had the surface. This association continued for a number of years until it was financially viable for both clubs to hire their own seperate pooltime.

The Club won its first local competition “the Sussex Pairs” in 1976, which was followed by its first international cap in 1977 resulting in its first World Championship representative the following year in 1978.

In 1979 a Crawley team entered its first National Championship and it took a further 9 years before in 1988 the team was strong enough to win its first National gold. Meanwhile in the same year the club gained its first female cap and in 1986 a number of competitors took part in a combined team in the clubs' first entry into the Rescue series World Championships in Canada.

At Rescue '90 Crawley as a club took part in the first club World and European Championships in Germany when it had its first member appointed as the National team manager and coach, this was repeated at Rescue '94 in the UK and it was not until Rescue '96 did the club gain its first International gold medal. In Rescue '98 held in New Zealand the club reached its fist individual world club pool final in the ladies 50m carry and In Rescue 2000 the club repeated this achievement in the men’s beach relay event and also gained its first appointment of an International official. It had to wait though to Rescue 2002 Daytona before winning its first individual club medal in the men’s line throw which was trumped in 2004 when the club achieved the world club individuals double in the Ladies and men’s line throw and bronzes in the team SERC.

Only a small team travelled to Australia for Rescue 2006, but during its short but very successful history Cralwey Town LSC has provided over 20 international competitors , won numerous World and European club medals at both Open and Master events in addition to supporting many of these major events with its appointed officials.