Courtesy: USLA
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. (Aug. 10, 2022) — The Jersey Mike’s United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Lifeguard Championships kicked off in Hermosa Beach, Calif. Wednesday with the National Junior Lifeguard Championships featuring Junior Guard programs from every coast in the United States.
These future lifeguarding hopefuls, ages nine-15, competed in various events in three age categories for individual titles. The Under-19 competition, comprised of both junior and professional lifeguards ages 16-18, also competed for medals. Junior competitors from Capitola Beach Lifeguard Assoc., Sussex County, Del., LA County, Santa Cruz, California State, Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., Jones Beach, Volusia and more all won individual titles on Wednesday.
The Junior Guard competition consisted of three divisions—A Division for 14 and 15-year-olds, B Division for 12 and 13-year-olds, C Division for 9 through 11 years of age.
Winners of each event and division from Wednesday’s National Junior Lifeguard Championships 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.
Girls Under-19 (16-18)
Madalyn Price – Capitola Beach Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Konner Knarr – Sussex County, Del.
Girls A Group (14-15)
Madison Dominger – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.
Boys A Group (14-15)
Maverick Billings – Oceanside Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
Girls B Group (12-13)
Cybelle Curry – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Boys B Group (12-13)
Tyler Smildzins – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Girls C Group (9-11)
Addison Taylor – California State Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
Boys C Group (9-11)
Brady Meyer – Santa Cruz Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
BEACH RUN: An individual event in which Junior Guards run down, around a flag and back to a finish funnel on the hard sand.
Boys Under-19 (16-18, 2km distance run)
Evan Malinow – Sussex County, Del.
Girls Under-19 (16-18, 2km distance run)
Mattea Kalpakoff – San Luis Obispo County Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
Boys A Group (14-15, 2km distance run)
Walter Fitchen-Young – Santa Cruz Surf Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
Girls A Group (14-15, 2km distance run)
Trinity McKenny – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Boys B Group (12-13, 2km distance run)
Nico Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz Surf Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
Girls B Group (12-13, 2km distance run)
Elsabet Schlobohm – Carpinteria, Calif.
Boys C Group (9-11, 2km distance run)
Matteo Sanchez – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Girls C Group (9-11, 2km distance run)
Margaret Griffin – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
SURF SWIM RACE: An individual event in which Junior Guards swim out and around the two designated buoys and finish through the funnel on the beach.
Girls Under-19 (16-18)
Annalena Siering – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Trent Bowles – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Girls A Group (14-15)
Sofia Burns – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.
Boys A Group (14-15)
Lucas Hubbard – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Girls B Group (12-13)
Bridget Lockwood – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Boys B Group (12-13)
Jacob Everitt – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., N.Y.
Girls C Group (9-11)
Charlotte Neushul – Santa Barbara Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
Boys C Group (9-11)
Mit Muni – Long Beach Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
Boys A Group (14-15)
Jake Shaffer – Huntington Beach Surf Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
Girls A Group (14-15)
Farah Bowles – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Boys B Group (12-13)
Jacob Everitt – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Girls B Group (12-13)
Riley Andres – Hollywood Beach, Fla.
Boys C Group (9-11)
Finn Whelan – California State Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
Girls C Group (9-11)
Charlotte Neushul – Santa Barbara Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
BOARD RACE: An individual event in which Junior Guards paddle a board out and around designated buoys, negotiate incoming surf and finish with their board through a funnel on the beach.
Girls Under-19 (16-18)
Sae Ackerstein – Santa Cruz Surf Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Lukas Pohlman – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Girls A Group (14-15)
Finley Murphy – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Boys A Group (14-15)
Jake Shaffer – Huntington Beach Surf Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
Girls B Group (12-13)
Finley Dobkin – Santa Cruz Surf Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
Boys B Group (12-13)
Alex Beggs – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Girls C Group (9-11)
Lucy Watson – Santa Barbara Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
Boys C Group (9-11)
Brady Meyer – Santa Cruz Surf Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
RESCUE RACE: Four competitors from each team participate in this event: a “victim”, one rescue tube swimmer, and two rescuers. The victim swims approximately 120m 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. In the A, B, and C divisions, this is a two-person event where one Junior Guard serves as a “victim” and one Junior Guard serves as the rescuer.
Girls Under-19 (16-18)
Julia Miyamoto – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Stella Vass – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Lisa Boos – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Rylee Nakayama – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Trent Bowles – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Kent Nishida – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Lukas Pohlman – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Dominic Munakash – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Combined A Group (14-15)
Hailey Wilcox – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.
Colin Veit – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.
Combined B Group (12-13)
Jacob Everitt – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Wyatt Neitz – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Combined C Group (9-11)
Penelope Chiu – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Hana Imai – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
RUN-SWIM-RUN: An individual event in which Junior Guards run a set distance on the beach, then swim out and around two buoys and back then finish with a second beach run.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Sam Manzano – California State Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
Girls Under-19 (16-18)
Lucy Noble – Volusia Surf Lifesaving Association, Fla.
Boys A Group (14-15)
Luka Van Dijk – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Girls A Group (14-15)
Sofia Burns – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.
Boys B Group (12-13)
Nico Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz Surf Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
Girls B Group (12-13)
Elizabeth Penny – Santa Cruz Surf Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
Boys C Group (9-11)
Mit Muni – Long Beach Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
Girls C Group (9-11)
Olivia Jacobson – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
SURF SKI RACE: 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.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Lukas Pohlman – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Girls Under-19 (16-18)
Emma Twombly – Hollywood Beach, Fla.
BOARD RESCUE: In this event, one member of the team swims approximately 120 meters to a designated buoy, signals and waits to be picked up by the second member of the team on a board. They both paddle to shore and cross the finish line on the beach with the board. Competitors must start the correct allotted position. Competitors swimming to and signaling from the wrong buoy shall be disqualified.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Pierce O’Leary – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Trent Bowles – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Girls Under-19 (16-18)
Skye Davies – Santa Cruz Surf Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
Zoe Ann Watson – Santa Cruz Surf Lifesaving Assoc., Calif.
Admission is free for the annual competition, with all of the action taking place at the Hermosa Beach Pier. All competitions begin at 8 a.m. and run until the end of the day. A full schedule of events is available to view HERE. The USLA and the Los Angeles County Surf Life Saving Association (LACoSLSA) are coordinating the competition, which is sponsored by Jersey Mike’s.
The USLA National Lifeguard Championships continue Thursday at 8 a.m. PT. From Thursday to Saturday, professional lifeguards from a number of USLA chapters across the country will compete for individual and team honors in water and beach course events that challenge their lifesaving skills including surf swims, beach runs, paddleboard races, landline rescue relays, a taplin relay, board rescue races, beach flags, and Ironman and Ironwoman races.
