2018 USLA National Championships, Beach Flags and Ironguard Finals

BEACH FLAGS AND IRONGUARD FINALS HIGHLIGHT DAY THREE OF 2018 USLA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

The United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Lifeguard Championships continued in Virginia Beach on Friday with the USLA crowning open champions in Board Race, Ironguard, American Ironman, Surf Boat Race, Surf Race, Surf Ski and Rescue Race. The open champions in men’s and women’s beach flags were also decided under the lights in front of a lively crowd on the scenic Virginia Beach oceanfront. More age-group champions in various categories were also crowned.

Professional lifeguards from 60 USLA chapters around the country are competing for individual and team honors in water and beach course events that challenge their lifesaving skills. After day two of competition, LA County Surf Life Saving Association leads all competitors with 805 team points. Monmouth County (N.J.) currently ranks second with 559 points and California State Lifeguard Association follows in third with 155.75. Riis Park (N.Y.) leads the B Division (chapters with 100 lifeguards or less) with 147 points.

Open (1^st through 3^rd) and age-group champions for each of Friday’s Jersey Mike’s USLA National Lifeguard Championships events follow:

BEACH FLAGS: From a prone starting position on the beach, competitors rise, turn and race to obtain a baton (beach flag) buried upright in the sand approximately 20 meters away. Since there are always fewer batons than competitors, those who fail to obtain a baton are eliminated.

Men’s Open

1. Nader Golshahr – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.
2. Tim Cabasino – Long Beach, N.Y.
3. Alex Triani – Smith Point, N.Y.

Women’s Open

1. Amanda Calabrese – Hampton Lifeguard Association, N.Y.
2. Jessica Wallace – Outer Banks, N.C.
3. Emily Ruppert – Sussex County, Del.

BOARD RACE: Competitors stand on or behind the start line on the beach with their boards 1.5 meters apart. At the start signal, competitors enter the water, launch their boards and paddle the course marked by buoys, return to the beach and run to cross the finish line. Competitors are not permitted to hold or otherwise interfere with other competitors’ boards or deliberately impede their progress.

Men’s Open

1. Ryan Paroz – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
2. Brian Murphy – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
3. Shane Gallas – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Women’s Open

1. Gwendolyn Bencie – Monmouth County, N.J.
2. Coral Kemp – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
3. Stephanie Eisenring – Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Men’s 30-34

1. Nathan Humberston – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women’s 30-34

1. Kim Robertson – Palm Beach County, Fla.

Men’s 35-39

1. Jeff Lombardo – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Women’s 35-39

1. Tandis Morgan – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Men’s 40-44

1. Phill Lloyd – Outer Banks, N.C.

Women’s 40-44

1. Jennifer Noonan – Delray Beach Ocean Rescue, Fla.

Men’s 45-49

1. Brian Bencie – Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue, Fla.

Women’s 45-49

1. Michelle Davidson – Monmouth County, N.J.

Men’s 50-54

1. Bruce Wilkie – Hollywood Beach, Fla.

Women’s 50-54

1. Deirdre Fisher – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Men’s 55-59

1. Roland Woolson – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women’s 55-59

1. Ann Finley – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Men’s 60-64

1. Larry Russell – Palm Beach County, Fla.

Women’s 60-64

1. Nancy Hodges – Virginia Beach Lifesaving Association, Va.

Men’s 65-69

1. Eldin Onsgard – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Women’s 65-69

1. Susan Wallis – Jax Beach, Fla.

Men’s 70+

1. Ed Heinrich – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

IRONGUARD: Competitors cover an approximately 800-meter course that includes 2 beach sprints, a swim leg, a board leg

Men’s Open

1. Hayden Hemmens – Newport Beach Ocean Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
2. Pat Kilgallen – Riis Park, N.Y.
3. Brian O’Neill – Riis Park, N.Y.

Women’s Open

1. Kelsey Cummings – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
2. April O’Gorman – Volusia Surf Lifesaving Association, Fla.
3. Stephanie Eisenring – Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Men’s 30-34

1. Patrick Jacobson – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Women’s 30-34

1. Brittany Myers – Destin, Fla.

Men’s 35-39

1. Wadley Wadley – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Women’s 35-39

1. Tandis Morgan – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Men’s 40-44

1. David Cartlidge – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Women’s 40-44

1. Kimberly Bencie – Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue, Fla.

Men’s 45-49

1. Billy Auty – South Jersey, N.J.

Women’s 45-49

1. Michelle Davidson – Monmouth County, N.J.

Men’s 50-54

1. Randall Eickhoff – California State Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.

Women’s 50-54

1. Deirdre Fisher – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Men’s 55-59

1. Roland Woolson – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women’s 55-59

1. Ann Finley – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Men’s 60-64

1. Larry Russell – Palm Beach County, Fla.

Women’s 60-64

1. Nancy Hodges – Virginia Beach Lifesaving Association, Va.

Men’s 65-69

1. Eldin Onsgard – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Women’s 65-69

1. Susan Wallis – Jax Beach, Fla.

Men’s 70+

1. Joel Gitelson – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

AMERICAN IRONMAN: Competitors cover a 1400 m (approx.) course that includes a swim leg, a board leg, a solo surfboat leg, and a beach sprint finish. Conditions of racing each leg are as generally required for the individual conditions of that discipline including the rules governing the component disciplines: surfboats, board races, surf races, beach sprints. The sequence of legs shall be determined by draw at the commencement of each competition at least one hour prior to the race. The same ballot shall determine the order of legs for the Ironman and Taplin Relay. If the surf boat leg is first, competitors will start with a typical Surfboat start with a handler.

Men’s Open

1. Boki Corsovic – Hollywood Beach, Fla.
2. Jeff Hart – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
3. Kevin Jones – Boca Raton, Fla.

SURF BOAT RACE: Two-person surf boat teams row around the three outside buoy courses returning to shore where one member disembarks from the boat and runs up to touch the line. Once across the touchline, the member can return to their surf boat for a second lap, repeating the touch line run. At the finish of the third lap, one member must leave the boat and run up and across the finish line. Three lap races are approximately 2,000 meters with each lap approximately 665 meters.

Open Men

1. Boki Corsovic & Jose Bolivar – Hollywood Beach, Fla.
2. Jack Green & Paul Elyseev – Monmouth County, N.J.
3. Mark Conte & Jack Gramlich – Monmouth County, N.J.

Open Women

1. Brittany Austin & Alexandre O’Connor – Miami Beach & Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue, Fla.
2. Jennifer Noonan & Jillian Kenney – Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue, Fla.
3. Shelley Griffith & Sherri Griffith – Boca Raton, Fla.

SURF RACE: With a running start into the surf from the start line on the beach, competitors swim around the 400 meter course designated by buoys, around the left end buoy of the flag line to the two black and white buoys returning to shore passing the right end of the flag buoy line to finish between the finish flags on the beach.

Men’s Open

1. Hayden Hemmens – Newport Beach Ocean Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
2. Kevin Fink – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
3. Pat Kilgallen – Riis Park, N.Y.

Women’s Open

1. Kelsey Cummings – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
2. Hallie Petersohn – Volusia Surf Lifesaving Association, Fla.
3. Charlie Burt – Virginia Beach Lifesaving Association, Va.

Men’s 30-34

1. Max Jaben – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Women’s 30-34

1. Coral Kemp – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Men’s 35-39

1. Jeff Lombardo – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Women’s 35-39

1. Tandis Morgan – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Men’s 40-44

1. Todd Sudol – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women’s 40-44

1. Desi Stoyanova – Miami Beach, Fla.

Men’s 45-49

1. Billy Auty – South Jersey, N.J.

Women’s 45-49

1. Robyn Skove – Hollywood Beach, Fla.

Men’s 50-54

1. Randall Eickhoff – California State Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.

Women’s 50-54

1. Deirdre Fisher – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Men’s 55-59

1. Charlie Lydecker – Smith Point, N.Y.

Women’s 55-59

1. Ann Finley – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Men’s 60-64

1. John Skudin – Long Beach, N.Y.

Women’s 60-64

1. Nancy Hodges – Virginia Beach Lifesaving Association, Va.

Men’s 65-69

1. Jack Martin, Monmouth County, N.J,

Women’s 65-69

1. Susan Wallis – Jax Beach, Fla.

Men’s 70+

1. Joel Gitelson – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

SURF SKI: Competitors steady their skis in line in knee-deep water about 1.5 meters apart. Competitors must obey directions from the starter or check starter concerning ski alignment at the start. On the starting signal, competitors paddle their skis around the apex course marked by three red buoys in a clockwise direction and return to finish when any part of the ski crosses the in-water finish line – ridden, gripped or carried by the competitor. Competitors may lose contact with their ski without necessarily being disqualified.

Men’s Open

1.    Timothy Burdiak – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
2.    Ryan Paroz – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
3. Nathan Humberston – Monmouth County, N.J.

RESCUE RACE: Four competitors from each team participate in the event: a “victim,” one rescue tube swimmer and two rescuers. The victim swims approximately 120 meters to a designated buoy, signals and waits to be rescued by the rescue tube swimmer. As they return to shore, the remaining two rescuers enter the water to assist. The event finishes when the first competitor in a team crosses the finish line while in contact with the victim.

Open Men

1. Azad Al-Barazi, Kevin Fink, Hunter Hay, Timothy Burdiak – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
2. Daniel Collins, Brendan Woods, Brian O’Neill, Michael Mcalpine – Riis Park, N.Y.
3. Philip Cabasino, Tim Cabasino, Anthony Cabasino, James Canner – Long Beach, N.Y.

Hosted by the Virginia Beach Lifeguard Association in conjunction with the city of Virginia Beach, the Jersey Mike’s USLA National Lifeguard Championships continue on Saturday with the action resuming at 8 a.m. ET between 27th and 30th street on the Virginia Beach oceanfront.

At the close of competition, the 2018 champions will be crowned. Open finals scheduled for Saturday, include: Run Relay, 2K Beach Run, Landline, Run Swim Run, Surf Ski, American Ironwoman and Taplin Relay.

Admission to the USLA National Lifeguard Championships in Virginia Beach is free of charge.

For more information on the USLA National Lifeguard Championships and full results from today’s National Lifeguard Championships, visit www.uslanationals.org

About USLA

The United States Lifesaving Association is America’s nonprofit professional association of beach lifeguards and open water rescuers. USLA works to reduce the incidence of death and injury in the aquatic environment through public education, national lifeguard standards, training programs, promotion of high levels of lifeguard readiness, and other means. Lifeguard competition in the U.S. owes its heritage to the Surf Lifesaving competitions in Australia. The first National Lifeguard Competition under the USLA banner was held in San Diego in August of 1980, bringing members of the various chapters from around the nation to compete.  There are now more than 100 chapters of USLA, each affiliated with local lifesaving services and beach patrols, and composed of employees of these organizations. For more information, please visit www.uslanationals.org.

Swim news courtesy of USLA.