2023 USLA Professional Lifeguard Championships Underway In Virginia Beach

Courtesy: United States Lifesaving Association (USLA)

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Aug. 10, 2023) — 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 2023 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.

• Full Results Here

After day one of competition, Monmouth County leads the Howard Lee National Championship Trophy race for overall points with 298.5. Reigning champions LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc. (Calif.) sit in second place with 168.5 points. In third, Sussex County (Dela.) totaled 145 points on the first day of competition. Riis Park (N.Y.) leads the B Division (chapters with 200 lifeguards or less) with 91 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: Jack Gramlich & Paul Casner – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women: Jennifer Noonan & Renae Jackson – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Age Group: 35-39

Men: Chris Hoch & Kevin Jones – Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Women: Jillian Kenney (Deerfield Beach) & Tiffany LaCasse (Palm Beach County)

Age Group: 40-44

Men: Brian Shea & Ryan Matthews – Monmouth County, N.J.

Age Group: 45-49

Men: Jack Green & Patrick Clemens – Monmouth County, N.J.

Age Group: 50-54

Men: David Healy (Monmouth County) & Jose Bolivar (Hollywood Beach)

Women: Shelley Griffith & Sherry Griffith – Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue, Fla.

Age Group: 55-59

Men: Bruce Wilkie (Ford Lauderdale) & David Griffith (Sussex County)

Age Group: 60-64

Men: John Gepp (Monmouth County) & Joseph Taylor (Fort Lauderdale)

Age Group: 65-69

Men: John Kenny & Louis Dwyer – Outer Banks, N.C.

Age Group: 70-74

Men: Dave Pierson & Rick Stimpson – Monmouth County, N.J.

BOARD RELAY: Three competitors each paddle a 400m course.

Women’s Open

1. Coral Kemp, Holly Maine & Kelsey Cummings – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
2. Alexandra Santer, Elizabeth Fry, Grace Hansen – Sussex County, Del.
3. Claire Kelly (Laguna Beach), Jennifer Noonan, Renae Jackson – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Men’s Open

1. Benjamin Tran, Brian Murphy, Lukas Pohlman – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
2. James Ahearn, Porter Hogan, Roman Higgins (California State) – Laguna Beach Lifeguard Association, Calif.
3. Chase Robertson (Palm Beach County), Daniel Lenahan (Deerfield Beach), John Livingstone (Delray Beach Ocean Rescue)

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: Daniel Lenahan – Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Women: Renae Jackson – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Age Group: 35-39

Men: Chase Robertson – Palm Beach County, Fla.

Women: Kimberly Robertson – Palm Beach County, Fla.

Age Group: 40-44

Men: Ryan Matthews – Monmouth County, N.J.

Age Group: 45-49

Men: Ryan Gates – California State Lifeguard Assoc. 

Age Group: 50-54

Men: Mike Barrows – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women: Cindy Fajardo – Sussex County, Del.

Age Group: 55-59

Men: Bruce Wilkie – Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue, Fla.

Age Group: 60-64

Men: David Griffith – Sussex County, Del.

Women: Nan Carroll – California State Lifeguard Assoc.

Age Group: 65-69

Men: Merrill Riley – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Age Group: 70-74

Women: Susan Wallis – Jax Beach, Fla.

Age Group: 75+

Men: William Dorney – Monmouth County, N.J.

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:

1. Michael Faughnan – Riis Park, N.Y.
2. Charlie Rennard – Monmouth County, N.J.
3. Thomas O’Neill – Riis Park, N.Y.

OPEN WOMEN:

1. Samantha Tadder – Virginia Beach Lifesaving Association, Va.
2. Claire Kelly – Laguna Beach Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
3. Joanie Cash – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.

Age Group: 30-34

Men: Austin Trinkle – Long Beach Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.

Women: Ashley Smith – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.

Age Group: 35-39

Men: AJ Miller – Volusia Surf Lifesaving Association, Fla.

Women: Jillian Miller – Monmouth County, N.J.

Age Group: 40-44

Men: Patrick Clemens – Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Women: Sarah Newcomb-Baker – Cape Cod, Mass.

Age Group: 45-49

Men: Todd Sudol – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women: Emily Hagen – California State Lifeguard Assoc.

Age Group: 50-54

Men: Monmouth County, N.J.

Women: Michelle Davidson – Monmouth County, N.J.

Age Group: 55-59

Men: Randall Eickhoff – California State Lifeguard Assoc.

Women: Elizabeth Maresca – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.

Age Group: 60-64

Men: Matthew Murphy – Virginia Beach Lifesaving Association, Va.

Women: Barbara Cronin-Stagnari – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.

Age Group: 65-69

Men: Merril Riley – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Women: Jill Friedman – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.

Age Group: 70-74

Men: Mike Selna – California State Lifeguard Assoc.

Women: Susan Wallis – Jax Beach, Fla.

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: Sean O’Neill – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women: Kelsey Kaub – Monmouth County, N.J.

Age Group: 35-39

Men: Maurice Peacock – Wrightsville Beach, N.C.

Women: Jillian Kenney – Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Age Group: 40-44

Men: Robert Dorosko – Wrightsville Beach, N.C.

Women: Sylvia Wolff – Outer Banks, N.C.

Age Group: 45-49

Men: Shaun Buen – Outer Banks, N.C.

Women: Jen Cawthern – Sussex County, Del.

Age Group: 50-54

Men: Ross O’Neill – Monmouth County, N.J.

Age Group: 55-59

Men: Timothy O’Connor – Monmouth County, N.J.

Age Group: 60-64

Men: Barry Moore – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.

Women: Barbara Cronin-Stagnari – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.

Age Group: 65-69

Men: Robert Ginsberg – Carolina Beach, N.C.

Women: Nancy Hodges – Virginia Beach Lifesaving Association, Va.

Age Group: 70-74

Men: Dave Pierson – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women: Susan Wallis – Jax Beach, Fla.

Age Group: 75+

Men: William Dorney – Monmouth County, N.J.

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

1. Austin Trinkle – Long Beach Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.

Men’s 35-39

1. AJ Miller – Volusia Surf Lifesaving Association, Fla.

Men’s 40-44

1. Ryan Matthews – Monmouth County, N.J.

Men’s 45-49

1. Todd Sudol – Monmouth County, N.J.

Men’s 50-54

1. Jose Bolivar – Hollywood Beach, Fla.

Men’s 55-59

1. Bruce Wilkie – Hollywood Beach, Fla.

Men’s 60-64

1. David Griffith – Sussex County, Del.

Men’s 65-69

1. John Skudin – LBNY Rescue, N.Y.

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 30-34

1. Renae Jackson – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif. 

Women’s 35-39

1.    Jilian Kenney – Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Women’s 45-49

1.    Jennifer Noonan – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.

Women’s 50-54

1. Sherry Griffith – Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue, Fla.

Coordinated by the USLA and the Virginia Beach Lifeguard Association in conjunction with the City of Virginia Beach, the Jersey Mike’s USLA National Lifeguard Championships continue Friday at 7 a.m. between 23^rd and 26^th Streets in Virginia Beach. The week’s marquee event, Beach Flags, will be contested Friday night at 8 p.m. in the Outback Steakhouse Beach Flags pit.

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.usla.org/nationals.