SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT 

– Objectives: The main objective of the project Open Water Swimming (OWS) as a Lifelong Activity (OWSLA) is to support the mobility of
stakeholders of non-profit swimming clubs and federations, creating a networking opportunity of exchanging their knowledge on how to
motivate recreational pool swimmers, recreational and non-recreational people in general, to participate in OWS as one of the healthiest
lifelong physical activities. Specific objectives are: 1. To allow existing pool recreational swimmers to participate in OWS activity. They will
be given a new, healthier lifelong physical activity. 2. To give the recreational and non-recreational active people in general, the
opportunity to prolong their recreational activity in OWS, or to enhance their will to participate in recreational OWS as a lifelong physical
activity.
– People 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, it will allow swimming pool 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 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 as long as possible, or swimming for life (an activity that is adequate and injury-free for any person, not only
for 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 partner meetings are prepared for presentations to OWS clubs and national federations stakeholders. The final output is the
online manual for organizing OWS events for all the categories of recreational swimmers.