Carinthia lacks pools for year-round swimming lessons

Carinthia is short of swimming pools suitable for teaching children to swim throughout the year, according to a nationwide survey by the Austrian Swimming Association, reported by ORF. The state is affected by a broader shortage of facilities in Austria, with a lack of indoor swimming space particularly acute after years of debate over an indoor pool in Klagenfurt.

Children in Carinthia often take their first swimming strokes in a lake. But Susanne Polansky of the Austrian Swimming Association said lakes were not ideal for beginners because they carried additional safety risks. Water could quickly become murky, while waves, wind and other conditions made it difficult to prevent accidents.

“We absolutely recommend a swimming course in a pool,” Polansky said. Pools in outdoor or indoor facilities also make it possible to learn swimming throughout the year. However, the survey found that Carinthia does not have enough covered pools. Cities and municipalities often lack the money to build and maintain them, she said.

Learning to swim is particularly important for children, who face a high risk of drowning. Non-swimmers may become completely rigid in deep water and sink without shouting or struggling, Polansky said.

Early and frequent contact with water can help prepare children for swimming lessons by reducing their fear of the water, she added.