Courtesy: USLA
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. (Aug. 11, 2022) — The United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Lifeguard Championships kicked off the first day of professional competition on Thursday. The USLA crowned Open Champions in Board Relay and Run-Swim-Run, as well as age group champions in the Surf Boat Race, Surf Ski Race, Beach Flags, American Ironwoman and American Ironman events. Preliminary and semifinal rounds were also run for a variety of Open events.
At the Jersey Mike’s 2022 USLA National Lifeguard Championships, professional lifeguards from USLA programs from every coast in the United States compete for individual and team honors in water and beach course events that challenge their lifesaving skills.
After day one of competition, California State Lifeguard Assoc. leads the Howard Lee National Championship Trophy race for overall points with 492.001. Reigning champions LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc. (Calif.) are not far behind, sitting in second place with 460 points. In third, Monmouth County (N.J.) totaled 121 points on the first day of competition. Riis Park (N.Y.) leads the B Division (chapters with 200 lifeguards or less) with 63 points.
Open and age group champions for each of Thursday’s USLA National Lifeguard Championships events follow:
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.
Age Group: 30-34
Men: Chris Hoch & Kevin Jones – Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Age Group: 35-39
Men: James Bray & Joshua Usher – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Jennifer Noonan (LA County) & Tiffany LaCasse (Palm Beach County)
Age Group: 40-44
Men: Jack Green (Monmouth County) & Patrick Clemens (Deerfield Beach)
Age Group: 45-49
Men: Joji Abasolo & Tom Swift – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 50-54
Men: David Healy (Monmouth County) & Jose Bolivar (Hollywood Beach)
Women: Denise Blair & Michelle Davidson – Monmouth County, N.J.
Age Group: 55-59
Men: Dan George & William George – Monmouth County, N.J.
Women: Chris Linkletter & Shannon Carr-Davey – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 60-64
Men: Brian Kummer & Eric Bloom – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 65-69
Men: Mark Myhre & Wayne MacMurray – Town of Palm Beach, Fla.
Age Group: 70-74
Men: Eldin Onsgard & Norman Shifren – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
BOARD RELAY: Three competitors each paddle a 400m course.
Women’s Open
- Coral Kemp, Holly Maine & Kelsey Cummings – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
- April O’Gorman (Volusia Surf), Lucy Noble (Volusia Surf), Casey Francis (Fort Lauderdale)
- Audrey Neilan (California State), Madison Feldman (California State), Shannon Snell (Fort Lauderdale)
Men’s Open
- Brian Murphy, Bryce Miller, Jake Miller – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
- Daniel Lenahan, Dylan Narcowich, Roman Strohmenger – Deerfield Beach, Fla.
- James Bray (California State), Ryan Paroz (Hampton Lifeguard), Zane Booth (Santa Barbara)
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.
Age Group: 30-34
Men: Tim Burdiak – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 35-39
Men: Matthew Lynskey – Palm Beach County, Fla.
Women: Tiffany LaCasse – Palm Beach County, Fla.
Age Group: 40-44
Men: Ryan Gates – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Emily Hagen – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 45-49
Men: Tyler Morgan – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Women: Jennifer Noonan – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 50-54
Men: Cris Dobrosielski – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Michelle Davidson – Monmouth County, N.J.
Age Group: 55-59
Men: Patrick Hemmens – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Chris Linkletter – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 60-64
Men: Chris Barlow – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Shannon Carr-Davey – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 65-69
Men: Mark Montgomery – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 70-74
Men: Joel Gitelson – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 75+
Men: Ed Henrich – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
RUN-SWIM-RUN: From the start line, competitors run to pass around the turning flag and enter the water to swim out and around he buoys. Competitors swim back to the beach to again run around the turning flag before running to the finish line.
OPEN MEN:
- David Thomas – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
- Thomas O’Neill – Riis Park, N.Y.
- Lenny Brown – Monmouth County, N.J.
OPEN WOMEN:
- Alexandra Santer – Sussex County, Del.
- Kelsey Cummings – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
- Montana White – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 30-34
Men: Mike Caputo – Monmouth County, N.J.
Women: Coral Kemp – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 35-39
Men: Ryan Bullock – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Women: Kristin Jacobson – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 40-44
Men: Kevin Selna – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Courtney Romero – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 45-49
Men: Jesus Mena – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Jennifer Noonan – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 50-54
Men: Chip McDaniel – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Women: Michelle Davidson – Monmouth County, N.J.
Age Group: 55-59
Men: Randall Eickhoff – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Diane Graner-Gallas – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 60-64
Men: Karl Tallman – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Erin Lalor – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 65-69
Men: James West – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 70-74
Men: Mike Selna – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 75+
Men: Ed Henrich – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
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.
Age Group: 30-34
Men: Steven Hagen – Sussex County, Del.
Women: Whitney Alfaro – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 35-39
Men: Maurice Peacock – Wrightsville Beach, N.C.
Women: Kristen DiTommaso – Monmouth County, N.J.
Age Group: 40-44
Men: Jason Gabriel – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Courtney Romero – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 45-49
Men: Joji Abasolo – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Women: Rebecca Levine-Thomas – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 50-54
Men: Michael Jekogian – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Michelle Davidson – Monmouth County, N.J.
Age Group: 55-59
Men: Mike Bahel – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Women: Ann Finley – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Age Group: 60-64
Men: Aaron Weiny – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Women: Lorraine Marie – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 65-69
Men: Patrick Lyons – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 70-74
Men: Roger Rodd – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Age Group: 75+
Men: Ed Heinrich – 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 30-34
- Vince Fiamengo – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Men’s 35-39
- James Bray – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Men’s 40-44
- Jeff Lombardo – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Men’s 45-49
- Tyler Morgan – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Men’s 50-54
- Tom Seth – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Men’s 55-59
- Bruce Wilkie – Hollywood Beach, Fla.
Men’s 60-64
- David Griffith – Sussex County, Del.
Men’s 65-69
- Dale Adama – California State Lifeguard Assoc.
Men’s 70-74
- Eldin Onsgard – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
AMERICAN IRONWOMAN: Competitors cover a 950-meter (approx.) course that includes a swim leg, a board leg, and a beach sprint finish. SWIM clockwise around the two center swim flag buoys (red to green/yellow). Competitors will BOARD paddle clockwise around the swim flag buoys and the black/white buoys. The start will be at the left end of the course facing down the beach. The competitors will RUN down the beach 100 meters to a flag in the middle of the course. After rounding the center flag, the competitors enter the water for the swim.
Women’s 35-39
- Tiffany LaCasse – Palm Beach County, Fla.
Women’s 45-49
- Jennifer Noonan – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Women’s 50-54
- Michelle Davidson – Monmouth County, N.J.
Coordinated by the USLA and the Los Angeles County Surf Life Saving Association (LACoSLSA), the Jersey Mike’s USLA National Lifeguard Championships continue Friday at 8 a.m. at the Hermosa Beach Pier. The week’s marquee event, Beach Flags, will be contested Friday night at 6 p.m.
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.
Admission to the USLA National Lifeguard Championships in Hermosa 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.usla.org/nationals.