The Nautica United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Lifeguard Championships continued in Manhattan Beach on Thursday, with age group champions crowned in the Surf Boat Race, Iron Woman, Iron Man and Beach Flags events.
There was even a strong performance turned in by 82-year-old Bob Burnside of Eden, Utah, considered one of the grandfathers of this event and a principal figure in its early beginnings in the late 1960s.
At these National Championships, nearly 1,000 professional and junior lifeguards from across the country are competing for individual and team honors in water and beach course events that challenge their lifesaving skills.
For individual and team results from junior and professional competition, visit: www.uslanationals.org.
Hosted by the Los Angeles County Lifeguard Association, the USLA National Lifeguard Championships continue Friday at 8 a.m. ET just south of the Manhattan Beach Pier. Open finals scheduled for Friday include Landline Rescue Race, Surf Race, Ironman and Ironwoman, Surf Boat Race and more.
Admission to the Nautica USLA National Lifeguard Championships presented in Manhattan Beach is free of charge (regular beach fees apply).
The United States Lifesaving Association (www.usla.org) 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.
The L.A. County Lifeguard Association has won the overall team title the past 26 years and has won 39 times in the 43-year history of the event.
Results from Thursday’s Nautica National Junior Lifeguard Championships 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 the touchline. Once across the touchline, the member can return to their surfboat for a second lap, repeating the touchline run. At the finish of the third lap (in the men’s race only) one member must leave the boat and run across the finish line. Three lap races are approximately 2,000 meters and two lap races are approximately 1,200 meters.
Men’s 30-34:
1. L.A. County Lifeguard Association
2. Monmouth County, N.J.
Men’s 35-39:
1. Monmouth County, N.J.
2. L.A. County Lifeguard Association
3. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
4. California State Lifeguard Association
Men’s 40-44:
1. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
2. Boca Raton, Fla.
3. California State Lifeguard Association
Men’s 45-49:
1. L.A. City and L.A. County Lifeguard Association
2. California State Lifeguard Association
3. Sussex County, Del.; Fort Lauderdale
Men’s 50-54:
1. L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Men’s 55-59:
1. South Jersey, N.J.
Men’s 60-64:
1. L.A. County Lifeguard Association
2. L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Men’s 65-69:
1. Monmouth County, N.J.; L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Men’s 70-plus:
1. Town of Palm Beach; L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Women’s 40-44:
1. Boca Raton, Fla.
2. Monmouth County, N.J.
SURF SKI: Competitors steady their skis in line in kneedeep water about 1.5 meters apart. 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 their ski crosses the finish line.
Men’s 30-34:
1. Michah Carlson – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
2. Michael Barrett – Monmouth County, N.Y.
3. Jeff Lombardo – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Men’s 35-39:
1. Tyler Morgan – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
2. Phillip Lloyd – Destin, Fla.
3. Casey Graham – California State Lifeguard Association
Men’s 40-44
1. Jerry Merayo – California State Lifeguard Association
2. Mitch McCready – Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
3. Wade Rickerson – California State Lifeguard Association
Men’s 45-49:
1. Patrick Hemmens – California State Lifeguard Association
2. Tom Seth – L.A. City Lifeguard Association
3. Peter Davis – Galveston Lifesaving Association
Men’s 50-54
1. Jay Butki – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
2. Thomas Fink – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
3. David Griffith – Sussex County, Del.
Men’s 55-59:
1. Nathan Shoemaker – California State Lifeguard Association
2. John Skudin – Long Beach, N.Y.
Men’s 60-64:
1. Eldin Onsgard – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Men’s 65-69:
1. Joel Gitelson – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Men’s 70-Plus:
1. Thomas Daly – Long Beach, N.Y.
2. John Sink – Monmouth County, N.Y.
Women’s 30-34
1. Tandis Morgan – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Women’s 35-39
1. Jennifer Noonan – Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
2. Maria Bird – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
3. Emily Hagen – California State Lifeguard Association
Women’s 40-44
1. Sherry Griffith – Boca Raton, Fla.
2. Shelley Griffith – Boca Raton, Fla.
3. Jo Wagenhals – City of Pompano Beach, Fla.
Women’s 45-49
1. Patty Mackle – California State Lifeguard Association
2. Chris Linletter – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
3. Deidre Fisher – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Women’s 50-54
1. Shari Latta – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
2. Ann Finley – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Women’s 60-64
1. 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.
Men’s 30-34
1. Ed Noll – Smith Point, N.Y.
2. Paul Andrus – California State Lifeguard Association
3. Tyler Dorsey – Sussex County, Del.
Men’s 35-39:
1. Joji Abasolo – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
2. David Cartlidge – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
3. Matt Farlow – Sussex County, Del.
Men’s 40-44
1. DJ Simonton – Smith Point, N.Y.
2. Robert Lambert – Hampton Lifeguard Association
3. Skip Prosser – Long Beach Lifeguard Association
Men’s 45-49:
1. Eugene Ancheta – Kauai
2. JR Luka – Boca Raton, Fla.
3. John Ryan, Jr. – Hampton Lifeguard Assoc.
Men’s 50-54
1. Tim Ferry – Sussex County, Del.
2. Pakiz Derek – Long Beach Lifeguard Association
3. Jeffrey Lynch – Hampton Lifeguard Association
Men’s 55-59:
1. Mark Myhre – Lantana, Fla.
2. Timothy Delaney – Smith Point (N.Y.)
Men’s 60-64:
1. Eldin Onsgard – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
2. Steven Contarsy – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
3. Kenny Atkins – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Men’s 65-69:
1. James Simonelli – Monmouth County, N.J.
Men’s 70-Plus:
1. John Sinks – Monmouth County, N.J.
2. Roger Tibbetts – Hampton Lifeguard Association
3. Thomas Hogan – Town of Palm Beach, Fla.
Women’s 30-34
1. Amie Hufton – Galveston Lifesaving Association
2. Loree Pryor – Galveston Lifesaving Association
Women’s 35-39
1. Emily Hagen – California State Lifeguard Association
2. Klayre Lewis – Galveston Lifesaving Association
Women’s 40-44
1. Ellen Faustine – California State Lifeguard Association
2. Jo Wagenhals – City of Pompano Beach, Fla.
3. Denise Blair – Monmouth County, N.J.
Women’s 45-49
1. Patty Mackle – California State Lifeguard Association
2. Tennille Treadwell – Hampton Lifeguard Association
3. Shannon Delaney – California State Lifeguard Association
Women’s 50-54
1. Shari Latta – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
2. Ann Finley – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
3. Kathleen Puiacentine – Hampton Lifeguard Association
Women’s 55-59
1. Vanessa Edwardes – Hampton Lifeguard Association
2. Shannon Sullivan – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Women’s 60-64
1. Susan Wallis – Jax Beach, Fla.
IRONMAN/IRONWOMAN: Competitors cover a 1,400 meter (approx.) course that includes a swim leg, a board leg, a ski leg and a beach sprint finish.
Women’s 30-34
1. Amie Hufton – Galveston Lifesaving Association
2. Loree Pryor – Galveston Lifesaving Association
Women’s 35-39
1. Kimberly Benice – Sussex County, Del.
2. Emily Hagen – California State Lifeguard Association
3. Maria Bird – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
Women’s 40-44
1. Ellen Faustine – California State Lifeguard Association
Women’s 45-49
1. Patty Mackle – California State Lifeguard Association
2. Shannon Delaney – California State Lifeguard Association
3. Chris Linletter – L.A. County Lifeguard Association
About Nautica
Founded in 1983, Nautica® is a leading global lifestyle brand ranging from men’s, women’s and children’s apparel and accessories to a complete home collection. Nautica® products are refined casual classics inspired and energized by the water that are always crisp, clean and distinct. Today Nautica® is available in more than 75 countries with 256 Nautica® branded stores worldwide.
This release was provided to swimswam by USLA.
“Chris Linletter” of LA County Lifeguard Association is “Chris Linkletter” (Women, 45-49, Ironwoman and Surfski). There are no fees to access the beach at Manhattan Beach (close-in parking, that’s another story, though there is free parking if you’re willing to walk).