The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson scored big in its largest event on record with 41,814 participants at 603 locations across 27 countries.
Organizers say the program has the Swimming Lessons Save Lives message more than one billion times since its inception in 2010.
“We’ve been blown away by the support the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson event has received over the past nine years,” Rick Root, President of the World Waterpark Association, said in a press release.
This year’s event, which took place over the course of 24 hours on June 21, received support from more than 600 waterparks, swim schools, pools, YMCAs and aquatic facilities, as well as dozens of water safety and drowning prevention organizations. The goal is to provide kids and parents exposure to life-saving water safety skills and build awareness about the vital importance of learning to swim and having parental vigilance anytime kids are in or around the water.
“All of us who work in and support the aquatics industry have an opportunity here,” stated Aleatha Ezra, WWA’s director of park member development. “Together, we can work to make sure parents understand the critical importance of swim lessons and undistracted supervision in keeping people safer in and around the water. We know it makes a difference.”
WLSL will mark its 10th Anniversary on Thursday, June 20, 2019.