Carina Doyle and Andrew Trembath are two members of the 10-strong New Zealand team heading to the World Games in the Polish city of Wroclaw.
The city, in western Poland, is actually 350km from the nearest beach - the Baltic Sea - so it may seem a bit of a strange venue for a life-saving competition.
But the World Games life-saving competition is pool-based which is a serious option for life-savers.
Doyle and Trembath, who are both these days based in Auckland, are part of a New Zealand team which is a contender for the title.
Pool swimming in life-saving is not just swimming lengths.
It involves swimming under obstacles and also carrying manikins along the pool.
Doyle said the manikin weighed upwards of 60kg so it took some effort to drag it along the pool.
``You swim 50m, pick up the manikin and then have to sprint to the other end. It is sitting on the bottom so you've got to haul it up and then carry it down the other end,'' he said.
She said plenty of practice helped as did a good underwater kick.
In the obstacles race gates were hung between the lanes and swimmers had to go under them.
Doyle said the competition from the Australians and European was expected to be white hot.
The 23-year-old started swimming from an early age and took up life-saving when a teenager.
``I can't actually remember a time when I haven't been swimming. Then when I was about 14-15 I had a go at life-saving and loved it.
``When I was growing up I went through phases with my swimming where I sort of hated it. That is when I got into surf life-saving. Now I can switch focus to the surf and swim.''
Doyle was based in Dunedin until about four years ago when her then coach Andy Adair left Dunedin.
She initially moved to Wellington and then about 18 months ago headed north to the North Shore, where she is now coached by German Thomas Ansorg.
Her aim in the pool is to qualify for next year's Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. Her specialty event is the 200m freestyle.
Trembath (20) had grown up around surf life-saving and was also an accomplished pool swimmer.
He too is aiming for the Commonwealth Games next year.
Trembath could not be contacted but will race in various events.
He will line up in the 100m manikin tow, the 100m obstacle, the 200m super life-saver race, the 4 x 25m manikin relay, the 4 x 50m medley and the 4 x 50m obstacle relay.
The trip had to be partly self-funded, and the St Clair duo have received funding from their southern club.
Doyle said the financial aid was much appreciated.
``I've always been a Dunedin girl at heart and am proud to be from the St Clair club.''
The World Games will be broadcast on Sky Television from this Friday.
