OWSLA - Open Water Swimming as a Long-life Activity

- Objectives: The main objective of the project Open Water Swimming (OWS) as a Long-life Activity (OWSLA) is to support the mobility of stakeholders of swimming clubs and federations, creating an opportunity of exchanging their knowledge on how to motivate elite and recreational pool swimmers as well as active people, in general, to participate in OWS as one of the healthiest long-life physical activity. - The basic activity in the project is the sharing of knowledge and experiences of project partners through transnational meetings during five swimming (3 pool swimming and 2 OWS) events in four partners’ countries. - Persons benefiting from the projects are: OWS clubs and national federations which will expand their activity and increase membership by including recreational swimmers of all ages. At the same time, as a win-win situation, it will allow swimming pools recreational swimmers as well as recreational athletes in general and physically inactive people to find in OWS one of the healthiest possible physical activities. Last but not the least, the added value at EU level is the innovative way of recruiting people for lifelong swimming activity, thus the importance and benefit is not only for OWS but for swimming and people’s health in general. - Expected results: Swimming longer, or swimming for life (an activity that is adequate and injury-free for any person, not only for elite athletes) is a very important aspect of health-enhancing value for all the citizens and it is a highly desirable goal to be achieved in any EU country. - Outputs: All meetings of the partners are prepared for presentations to OWS clubs and national federations stakeholders. The final output is the online “Guidelines for Promoting Lifelong OWS Activity”. - Finally in relation to the European Green Deal priority is the fact that OWS is a recreational physical activity with a minimum carbon footprint.