Air thick with the smell of coconut-scented sunscreen and chlorine, Water World opened early Sunday to host hundreds of sun-kissed lifeguards from around the state.
About 36 teams and 467 lifeguards, each representing the Colorado towns they protect, turned out to swim fast and play hard at the 30th annual Colorado Parks and Recreation Association Lifeguard Games in Federal Heights.
Justine Davis watched in amusement as her fellow lifeguards sang, danced and acted out skits dressed in goofy costumes during the spirit competition portion of the games.
Davis, who is a lifeguard at Englewood Recreation Center, said it is her third year attending the competition, which is filled with team-building races and exercises designed to tout the contestants’ lifesaving skills.
“It’s just a big community where we all get together and understand our inside jokes about lifeguarding,” she said.
While Davis prefers watching the teams acting silly and spirited, others come to the competition hoping to show off their athletic prowess.
Joann Cortez, Water World spokeswoman, said the event’s most brag-worthy competition is a race to determine the fastest lifeguard in the land.
This year, Brenna Bushey of Ken Caryl Ranch community pool and Kent Olsen of Colorado Mesa University took the title after their award-winning swims across the wave pool.
“It’s fun to see how good some of the lifeguards are,” said Andy Maurek, Water World manager. “It’s an amazingly tough job. They’re out in the sun all day, and they have to be 100 percent focused.”
Robby Kendl has attended the games three times and said it is a great time hanging out with his work buddies.
“It’s a lot of team camaraderie,” he said.
While he enjoys the inner-tube relay race, Kendl fessed up when asked why he kept coming back.
“Honestly, it’s so I can get a free day at Water World,” he said, grinning.
After the completion of the games, participants could ditch their typical lifeguard perches high above the park’s pools and slides and partake in some free summer fun of their own at the water park.
“Their whole purpose is to save lives, so this is an opportunity to let them have some fun,” Cortez said.
Elizabeth Hernandez: 303-954-1223, ehernandez@denverpost.com or
