Junior Guards Compete at Nautica United States Lifesaving Association National Lifeguard Champs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia, August 6. THE Nautica United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Lifeguard Championships kicked off in Virginia Beach, Va. today with the National Junior Lifeguard Championships featuring more than 300 young participants from USLA-affiliated lifeguard programs across the country.

These future lifeguarding hopefuls, ages 9-17, competed in eight events in four age categories for individual titles.  Competitors from Hampton, Jones Beach, Kauai, LA County, Monmouth County, Pompano Beach and Virginia Beach Lifesaving Associations all won individual titles on Wednesday.  The Junior Guard competition precedes the three-day 2014 Nautica USLA National Lifeguard Championships.

The Junior Guard competition consisted of four divisions—AA Division for 16 and 17 year-olds, A Division for 14 and 15 year-olds, B Division for 12 and 13 year-olds and the C Division for 9 through 11 years of age.

Winners of each event and division from Wednesday’s Nautica National Junior Lifeguard Championships follow:

BEACH RUNAn individual event in which Junior Guards run down, around a flag and back to a finish funnel on the hard sand.

Boys AA Group (ages 16-17, 2km distance run)

Kaeo Kruse – Kauai, Hawaii

Girls AA Group (ages 16-17, 2km distance run)

Shannon Snell – Pompano Beach, Fla.

Boys A group (ages 14-15, 2km distance run)

Grant Gilbert – Monmouth County, N.J.

Girls A Group (ages 14-15, 2km distance run)

Doria Martingayle – Virginia Beach Lifesaving Association, Va.

Boys B Group (ages 12-13, 1.5km distance run)

Dutch Fairbanks – Kauai, Hawaii

Girls B Group (ages 12-13, 1.5 km distance run)

Sophie Wilson – Virginia Beach Lifesaving Association, Va.

Boys C Group (ages 9-11, 1km distance run)

Nicholas Calice – Pompano Beach, Fla.

Girls C Group (ages 9-11, 1km distance run)

Molly Hastings – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

SURF RACEAn individual event in which Junior Guards swim out and around the two designated buoys and finish through the funnel on the beach.

Boys AA Group (ages 16-17)

Kaeo Kruse – Kauai, Hawaii

Girls AA Group (ages 16-17)

Kira Makuta – LA County Surf Life Saving Life Saving Association, Calif.

Boys A group (ages 14-15)

Kian Brouwer – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Girls A group (ages 14-15)

Holly Maine – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Boys B Group (ages 12-13)

Ryan Burke – Monmouth County, N.J.

Girls B Group (ages 12-13)

Natalie Smith – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Boys C Group (ages 9-11)

Jake Schulte – Pompano Beach, Fla.

Girls C Group (ages 9-11)

Casey Bice – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.

RUN-SWIM-RUNAn 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 AA Group (ages 16-17)

Kaeo Kruse – Kauai, Hawaii

Girls AA Group (ages 16-17)

Kira Makuta – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Boys A group (ages 14-15)

Kian Brouwer – LA County Surf Life Saving Association

Woody Parsons (finished 2nd) – Virginia Beach Lifesaving Association, Va.

Girls A group (ages 14-15)

Malia Wolf – Monmouth County, N.J.

Boys B Group (ages 12-13)

Ryan Burke – Monmouth County, N.J.

Girls B Group (ages 12-13)

Maggie Purcell – Hampton Lifeguard Association, N.Y.

Boys C Group (ages 9-11)

Cole Bardinas – Monmouth County, N.J.

Girls C Group (ages 9-11)

Emma Claps – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.

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.

Boys AA Group (ages 16-17)

Hikari Oberman – Kauai, Hawaii

Girls AA Group (ages 16-17)

Kira Makuta – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Boys A group (ages 14-15)

Eli Fox – Kauai, Hawaii

Girls A group (ages 14-15)

Kelta O’Rourke – Kauai, Hawaii

Boys B Group (ages 12-3)

Chasen Dubs – Hampton Lifeguard Association, N.Y.

Girls B Group (ages 12-13)

Emma Hecht – Monmouth County, N.J.

Boys C Group (ages 9-11)

Cole Bardinas – Monmouth County, N.J.

Girls C Group (ages 9-11)

Summer Schulte – Pompano Beach, Fla.

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 AA Group (ages 16-17)

Kaeo Kruse – Kauai, Hawaii

Girls AA Group (ages 16-17)

Kira Makuta – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Boys A group (ages 14-15)

Kian Brouwer – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Girls A group (ages 14-15)

Holly Maine – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Boys B Group (ages 12-3)

Chasen Dubs – Hampton Lifeguard Association, N.Y.

Girls B Group (ages 12-13)

Mia Marquez – Pompano Beach, Fla.

Boys C Group (ages 9-11)

Cole Bardinas – Monmouth County, N.J.

Girls C Group (ages 9-11)

Summer Schulte – Pompano Beach, Fla.

RESCUE RACE:  A simulated rescues event which requires a Junior Guard “victim” and “rescuer.”  Victims swim out and line up on the flag or buoy line; the rescuer races out and swims the victim to shore.  The rescuer may wear fins and the victim may kick during the return.  Both Junior Guards must cross the finish line with equipment in hand.

AA Group (ages 16-17)

Shane Brouwer & Kira Makuta – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

A Group (ages 14-15)

Sloan Sizemore & Christopher Kelly Schulte – Pompano Beach, Fla.

B Group (ages 12-13)

Dutch Fairbanks & Jack Machorek – Kauai, Hawaii

C Group (ages 9-11)

Summer Schulte & Isabella Taylor – Pompano Beach, Fla.

SWIM RELAY:  A team event made up of five swimmers in which each team member swims out and around the designated buoys and returns to the beach to tag the next swimmer.

AA Group (ages 16-17)

Haley Chasin, Saber Fairbanks, Kaeo Kruse, Maluhia Kinimaka & Kate Machorek – Kauai, Hawaii

A Group (ages 14-15)

Race Wilhoite, Taylor Barton, Sloan Sizemore, Christopher Kelly Schulte & Alejandro Quinones – Pompano Beach, Fla.

B Group (ages 12-13)

Luke Winkelman, Jocelyn Cullen, Annalise Giuliano, Ryan Burke & Brenner Hinds – Monmouth County, N.J.

C Group (ages 9-11)

Ryan Shannon, Casey Bice, Garrett Kain, Emma Claps & Cole Pergan – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.

BEACH FLAGSFrom a prone position on the sand, upon a whistle start, Junior Guards rise, turn, and race to obtain a baton (beach flag) buried upright in the sand. Those who fail to get a baton are eliminated.

Boys AA Group (ages 16-17)

Hikari Oberman – Kauai, Hawaii

Girls AA Group (ages 16-17)

Wailana Gandeza – Kauai, Hawaii

Boys A group (ages 14-15)

Eric Potter – Kauai, Hawaii

Girls A group (ages 14-15)

Sophie Kolhoff – Hampton Lifeguard Association, N.Y.

Boys B Group (ages 12-3)

Max Mahi – Hampton Lifeguard Association, N.Y.

Girls B Group (ages 12-13)

Lila Ferraro – Hampton Lifeguard Association, N.Y.

Boys C Group (ages 9-11)

Shane McLaughlin – Monmouth County, N.J.

Girls C Group (ages 9-11)

Bella Tarbet – Hampton Lifeguard Association, N.Y.

Hosted by the Virginia Beach Lifeguard Association (VBLA), the USLA National Lifeguard Championships continue Thursday at 8 a.m. ET on Virginia Beach between 27th and 30th Streets.

From Thursday to Saturday, professional lifeguards from 46 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 Nautica USLA National Lifeguard Championships in Virginia Beach is free of charge.

For more information on the Nautica USLA National Lifeguard Championships, and for full results from today’s National Junior Lifeguard Championships, visit www.nationalresults.usla.org.

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