SwimKam, the ground-breaking and first comprehensive anti-drowning solution on the market, is proud to announce its support of the prestigious Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation Water Bike event. Taking place at Sun City on Saturday, September 16, 2023, the event aims to raise funds to further the Foundation's local initiatives to promote water safety education and drowning prevention.
The event showcases 12 teams of both professional athletes and amateurs competing head-to-head on the innovative Schiller S1-C water bikes. This thrilling relay race will see participants - including renowned celebrities such as AB De Villiers, Bridgette Hartley, Grant Lottering, Jesse Clegg, Lee-Ann Liebenberg, Percy Montgomery, Terence Parkin, Roxy Louw and Ryk Neethling - take on a challenging 1.2km-loop course, completing it an astonishing 21 times.
The element of surprise sets this event apart, as each loop will feature a different participant; ensuring a riveting and unpredictable competition that promises an extraordinary display of skill, determination, and sheer fun.
Since its creation in December 2012, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation has focused on projects aimed at raising awareness of drowning prevention and teaching lifesaving to children and adults in all types of aquatic environments. The Foundation relies on a network of local associations and national rescue societies to offer activities adapted to each environment. As a result, this year's primary recipient of the event proceeds is Lifesaving South Africa (LSA).
“Drowning is a major public health concern. According to the World Health Organisation, death or disability from drowning is the third biggest natural killer in the world. Drowning caused 2.5 million deaths over the last decade, and is one of the main causes of death among children in many countries. In South Africa, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death, according to the South African Medical Journal, with about 600 children and 200 adults drowning every year,” explains SwimKam CEO, Colleen Glaeser.
“SwimKam was founded with the belief that these shocking numbers can – and should – be drastically reduced; and we are proud to be able to partner with the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation to help raise funds to protect children from avoidable injuries and to prevent drowning. We believe this is the first of many initiatives where SwimKam and the Foundation will be able to collaborate to raise public awareness of water hazards, and ultimately, to save lives.”
She says that the two organisations share a passion for nurturing a culture of water safety; each promoting the triptych of prevention – identify, alert and intervene – in order to prevent drowning incidents. “LSA, as the authoritative body for lifeguarding and the promotion of lifesaving sport in South Africa, is a natural fit, and we are extremely pleased to be able to help this vital body extend its reach.”
Glaeser adds that every possible precaution to stop deaths or disabilities by drowning must be taken, and having only one layer of protection is simply not enough. If it were, then there wouldn't be drownings.
“With spring around the corner, children will be getting excited about playing in the water. Unfortunately, we have seen that the traditional measures of keeping them safe around swimming pools are not good enough. That's why a multi-layered approach to early detection, warning and prevention must be taken.”
This, she explains, is why SwimKam exists: to provide a complete anti-drowning solution; offering peace of mind, control and immediate response for pool owners in the event of an incident.
Using the latest technology, SwimKam delivers multiple layers of protection and warning detections. This provides pool owners with a 360-degree view of the situation from their mobile device, and allows them to immediately trigger notifications to other users and emergency services if necessary. It can also detect underwater visuals in any clarity.
Aiming to become the leading global product on every swimming pool safety equipment checklist for any unattended pool or body of water, SwimKam plans to expand its footprint via local distributors. Retailers and distributors looking to add to their pool safety portfolio with a product that offers end-user peace of mind with great margins can contact SwimKam here.
“The benefits of initiatives such as the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation Water Bike event cannot be underestimated. With the number of preventable deaths due to drowning remaining needlessly high, events such as this one provide a way to raise awareness and funds - leading to the kind of change we need to ensure our children can be safer in and around the water,” Glaeser concludes.