Courtesy: United States Lifesaving Association (USLA)
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (Aug. 4, 2021) — The United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Lifeguard Championships kicked off in South Padre Island, Texas, Wednesday with the National Junior Lifeguard Championships featuring Junior Guard programs from every coast in the United States.
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These future lifeguarding hopefuls, ages nine-15, competed in nine events in three age categories for individual titles. The Under-19 competition, comprised of both junior and professional lifeguards ages 16-18, also competed in eleven events. Junior competitors from South Padre Island, Sussex County, Del., Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y., LA County, Calif., Galveston, Texas, Volusia, Fla., Hollywood Beach, Fla., Jones Beach, N.Y., LBNY Rescue, N.Y., Long Beach Island, N.J., Capitola, Calif. 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)
Lainey Shockro – Sussex County, Del.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Owen McCormac – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Girls A Group (14-15)
Ava Burke – Capitola Beach Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
Boys A Group (14-15)
Brodie Schneider – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Girls B Group (12-13)
Delaney Levin – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Boys B Group (12-13)
Luke Rossano – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Girls C Group (9-11)
Maddi Scott – Galveston Lifesaving Assoc., Texas
Boys C Group (9-11)
Austin Schneider – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
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)
Declan Burke – Sussex County, Del.
Girls Under-19 (16-18, 2km distance run)
Olivia Duca – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Boys A Group (14-15, 2km distance run)
Brodie Schneider – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Girls A Group (14-15, 2km distance run)
Dylan Cashin – Galveston Lifesaving Association, Texas
Boys B Group (12-13, 2km distance run)
Jack Anderson – Galveston Lifesaving Association, Texas
Girls B Group (12-13, 2km distance run)
Myla Schneider – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Boys C Group (9-11, 2km distance run)
Austin Schneider – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Girls C Group (9-11, 2km distance run)
Maddi Scott – Galveston Lifesaving Association, Texas
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)
Lucy Noble – Volusia Surf Lifesaving Association, Fla.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Aiden Kohanyi – Hollywood Beach, Fla.
Girls A Group (14-15)
Julia Freshour – Hollywood Beach, Fla.
Boys A Group (14-15)
Colin Veit – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.
Girls B Group (12-13)
Daisy Pitches – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Boys B Group (12-13)
Liam Knight – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Girls C Group (9-11)
Una Diaz – LBNY Rescue, N.Y.
Boys C Group (9-11)
Shaun Muety – LBNY Rescue, N.Y.
IRONGUARD: An individual event in which Junior Guards swim the designated course, run to the transition area, then paddle the designated course and finish with a final run leg.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Hugh Shields – Long Beach Island, N.J.
Girls Under-19 (16-18)
Lucy Noble – Volusia Surf Lifesaving Association, Fla.
Boys A Group (14-15)
Colin Veit – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.
Girls A Group (14-15)
Julia Freshour – Hollywood Beach, Fla.
Boys B Group (12-13)
Liam Knight – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Girls B Group (12-13)
Finley Murphy – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Boys C Group (9-11)
Nathaniel Tarbet – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Girls C Group (9-11)
Adelei Raine Mosteller – LA County Surf Life Saving 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)
Lucy Noble – Volusia Surf Lifesaving Association, Fla.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Hugh Shields – Long Beach Island, N.Y.
Girls A Group (14-15)
Ava Burke – Capitola Beach Lifeguard Assoc., Calif.
Boys A Group (14-15)
Kai Jankowiak – Galveston Lifesaving Association, Texas
Girls B Group (12-13)
Daisy Pitches – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Boys B Group (12-13)
Liam Knight – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Girls C Group (9-11)
Una Diaz – LBNY Rescue, N.Y.
Boys C Group (9-11)
Shaun Muety – LBNY Rescue, N.Y.
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)
Joey Shaver – Carolina Beach, N.C.
Elizabeth Teeters – Carolina Beach, N.C.
Kinsey Ginsberg – Carolina Beach, N.C.
Melia Gore – South Padre Island, Texas
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Brian Baldwin – Riis Park, N.Y.
Hugh Shields – Long Beach Island, N.J.
Daniel Cornish – Riis Park, N.Y.
Thomas Antonucci – Monmouth County, N.J.
Combined A Group (14-15)
Colin Veit – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.
Kai Jankowiak – Galveston Lifesaving Association, Texas
Combined B Group (12-13)
Liam Knight, Daisy Pitches – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
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)
Aiden Kohanyi – Hollywood Beach, Fla.
Girls Under-19 (16-18)
Lucy Noble – Volusia Surf Lifesaving Association, Fla.
Boys A Group (14-15)
Colin Veit – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.
Girls A Group (14-15)
Julia Freshour – Hollywood Beach, Fla.
Boys B Group (12-13)
Liam Knight – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Girls B Group (12-13)
Daisy Pitches – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Boys C Group (9-11)
Shaun Muety – LBNY Rescue, N.Y.
Girls C Group (9-11)
Una Diaz – LBNY Rescue, N.Y.
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)
Rylee Kahealani Nakayama – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
SWIM RELAY: Five-person teams participate in a swim relay. The ‘A’ division swims 240 meters per person, the ‘B’ division swims 200 meters per person and the ‘C’ division swims 150 meters per person.
A Group (14-15)
Luke Castillo – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Carolina Condin – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Luke Tarbet – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Luke Ferraro – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
Dylan Cashin – Galveston Lifesaving Association, Texas
B Group (12-13)
Christopher Goodman, Finley Murphy, Bella Tieman, Emmory Mosteller, Dylan Rosenzweig – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
C Group (9-11)
Lucy Knight, Nathaniel Tarbet, Tyler Metz, Austin Schneider – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc., N.Y.
IRONPERSON: Competitors cover a 1400m (approx.) course that includes a swim leg, a board leg, a ski leg and a beach sprint finish.
Girls Under-19 (16-18)
Emma Twombly – Hollywood Beach, Fla.
Boys Under-19 (16-18)
Lukas Pohlman – LA County Surf Life Saving Assoc., Calif.
Admission is free for the annual competition, with a majority of the action behind Isla Grand Beach Resort on South Padre Island. The USLA and the Padre Beach Rescue Association (PBRA) are coordinating the competition, which is sponsored by Jersey Mike’s.
The USLA National Lifeguard Championships continue Thursday at 7 a.m. CT. 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.
Friday night’s fan-favorite Beach Flags Finals, which draws a standing-room only crowd year-after-year, will be contested at 8 p.m. at Clayton’s Beach Bar.