Tens of Thousands of Children from Twenty-Six Countries Simultaneously Usher in the First Official Weekend of Summer with World Record Swim Lesson

More than 1,200 Swimmers at Sun & Fun Lagoon Waterpark, Naples, FL Sets New Record for the Largest Single Location.

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Jun 20, 2014, 07:38 ET

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., June 20, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kids, families and Olympic Gold Medalists from coast to coast came together this morning to celebrate the official start of summer with a new world record and a vital, life-saving message; Swimming Lessons Save Lives.

Lifeguard Matt Coakley at Sun & Fun Lagoon in Naples FL. instructs one of more than 37,000 swimmers on six continents learning the back float as part of today's World's Largest Swimming Lesson event. (PRNewsFoto/World's Largest Swimming Lesson)

More than 37,000 Kids Attempt Their Fifth World Record for the Largest Simultaneous Global Swim Lesson to Help Prevent Youth Drowning (PRNewsFoto/World's Largest Swimming Lesson) (PRNewsFoto/World's Largest Swimming Lesson)

Team WLSL, which set its first Guinness World Record for the Largest Simultaneous Swimming Lesson in 2010, needed more than 32,450 participants to set a fifth consecutive record. While it can take weeks for all the official paperwork to be reviewed, registrations for the morning event included more than 40,000 participants at 900+ locations in 48 states and 26 countries on six continents – a 25%+ increase over last year's record.

Sun & Fun Lagoon in Naples, FL. and the NCH Safe & Healthy Children's Coalition of Collier County set their sights on breaking the Largest Single Location record of 908 swimmers, set by Big Surf Waterpark last year in Tempe, AZ. The south Florida waterpark successfully blew the current record out of the water with more than 1,200 swimmers participating thanks to the support of more than 40 Collier area agencies.

Janet Evans, Maddy Crippen and other current and previous USA Swimming National Team members coached and encouraged swimmers, taught the back float and signed autographs to support the event.

"The World's Largest Swimming Lesson™ is a great way for kids to actually become world record holders while they build awareness about the vital importance of learning to swim," said Janet Evans, 4-time Olympic Gold Medalist and champion for the WLSL event.

Tragically, drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death for kids 1-5 and the second leading cause for children 1-14. USA Swimming Foundation reports 77 children under age 14 drowned in May 2014. Typically, more children drown in June than during any other month of the year.

The World's Largest Swimming Lesson™ was created by the World Waterpark Association to communicate the fundamental importance of teaching children to swim. The event is supported by the nations' leading water safety and training organizations and sponsored by WhiteWater West Industries. Visit www.wlsl.org to learn more.

Media Contact: Kristin Scheithauer
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714-336-0920

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SOURCE World's Largest Swimming Lesson