Many of the world’s best lifeguards will display their athletic and lifesavings skills at the Hermosa Beach Pier this weekend when teams from California and Australia compete for the coveted Wieland Shield as part of the 54th International Surf Festival.
The 24th edition of the biannual lifeguard competition pits defending champion Victorian State Surf Life Saving Association of Australia (SLSA) team against California lifeguards.
The bond between the lifeguards began in 1956 when LA Lifeguards participated in the International Surf Life Saving Carnival held in conjunction with the Olympics Games in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
In 1965, LA County Lifeguards hosted the first Australian SLSA team to tour the United States. Two years later, LA Lifeguards participated in an educational and competition tour of Australia and New Zealand.
The tour was a success and Australian George Nutbeam established competition where one country would tour the other every two years.
A perpetual trophy sponsored and named for the US Consul General to Australia, William Wieland, commemorates the competition.
With an average age of 21, Australia will field what is believed to be its youngest team ever this year.
Representing California will be Tim Burdiak, Kevin Fink, Carter Graves, Hayden Hemmens, Kira Makuta, Ryan Makuta, Brian Murphy, Shane Scoggins, Taylor Spivey and Rich Sprout.
The team is coached by Scott Diedric, of Laguna, while Los Angeles County’s Jay Butki and Mike Murphy serve as manager and assistant manager, respectively.
The quest for the Wieland Shield begins Friday, July 31 at 2 p.m. with the men’s and women’s Surfski, Board Race, Ironman and Mixed Surfski Relay.
At 7 p.m. in conjunction with the LA County Lifeguard Championships, the men’s and women’s Taplin Relay events will be held.
Competition continues Saturday at 10 a.m. with the men’s and women’s Surf, Run-Swim-Run and Mixed Board Relay followed by the 4-men 2-women Surf Team and Mixed Surf Rescue Relay at 7 p.m.
Beach Volleyball
The four-day Surf Festival kicks off on Thursday, July 30 at 9 a.m. with the popular Charlie Saikley 6-man tournament to be held south of the Manhattan Beach Pier.
Considered the premier 6-man beach volleyball tournament in Southern California with players competing in theme-based costumes, the event draws over 50,000 spectators each year. Competition continues Friday, July 31 at 9 a.m.
Defending champions include 12th St./The Deck (Men’s Open), 900 Club (Women’s Open), Century Club (Men’s Masters) and Desperate Housewives (Women’s Masters).
Traditional two-person tournaments will follow the Saikley 6-man when the California Beach Volleyball Association hosts tournaments at the Hermosa Beach Pier.
On Saturday, Men’s B and Women’s Open ($1,500 in prize money) will take place. Sunday’s action includes Men’s Open ($1,500 purse), Men’s Unrated, Women’s A along with Co-ed A and AAA divisions.
Friday, July 31
The LA County Lifeguard Championships which include the Bus Stevenson Intracrew relay will be held under the lights north of the Hermosa Beach Pier beginning at 7 p.m.
The Bud Stevenson Intracrew relay consists of two runners, four swimmers, four paddlers, one surf ski paddler, and four two-person dorys.
Teams competing in this relay represent all of the beaches operated by the Los County Fire Department including Cabrillo-Torrance-Redondo, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Dockweiler, Venice, Santa Monica, Will Rogers, Malibu, Zuma Beach and the Baywatch Rescue Boat Crews.
Prior to the start of the Bud Stevenson Intracrew relay LA County Lifeguards will compete in the 6-lifeguard run relay; 4-lifeguard shallow water sprint relay; and the 6-lifeguard rescue board relay.
The Manhattan Beach team dominated in 2014 with wins in each event, including the Bud Stevenson Intracrew relay.
Saturday, Aug. 1
Saturday’s action begins at 6:45 a.m. when the International Body Surfing Championship is held on the north side of the Manhattan Beach Pier.
Run by the Gillis Beach Bodysurfing Association, participants range in ability from novice to former world champions. The event consists of eight men and women’s divisions with the top two finishers from each preliminary heat advancing to the championship heat.
Defending champions include: Daniel Burns (Boys Under 18), Danny Romero (Mens 18-39), Erik Ackerman (Sr. Mens 40-48), Richard Loughridge (Masters 49-52), David Lane (Grand Masters 53-59), Jeff Lashbrook (Legends 60+), Ava Pepe (Girls Under 18) and Briguitte Wiedemeyer (Womens 18+).
On the south side of the pier, the Surfing Championship takes place at 7:30 a.m. and include short boards, long boards, women’s and stand-up paddleboard divisions. Awards will be given to the top 3 place finishers in each division.
Winners in last year’s competition included Tommy Lusk (16-and-over shortboard), Ryan Ulrich (Under 20 longboard), Dave Schaefer (21-and-over longboard), Joey Simola (Groms), Mike Purpus (Legends) and Sarah Curran (Women).
Beginning and finishing at the Hermosa Beach Pier, the Dick Fitzgerald 2-mile Beach Run takes place at 8 a.m. Participants run the first mile in the soft sand before returning along the hard packed sand by the water’s edge.
Named after former Director of the Department of Beaches Dick Fitzgerald who helped start the International Surf Festival, the race is conducted by the Mira Costa Track and Cross Country teams with proceeds going back to the team.
Manhattan Beach’s Jeff Atkinson turned in the fastest time in 2014 crossing the finish line in 13 minutes, 17.57 seconds. His wife, Allison, won the women’s division with a time of 14:40.09.
Down the coast at Torrance Beach, the Riviera Mexican Grill R-10 Paddleboard Race returns with an 8 a.m. start.
Approximately seven miles, the course goes out to the R-10 (PV-10) Buoy and back to the beach. Paddleboards and SUPs are all invited.
The event is part of the Waterman’s Challenge which includes the R-10 and the Velzy-Stevens Pier-to-Pier Paddleboard race on Sunday. Times will be combined to determine the 2015 Waterman/Waterwoman of the South Bay.
Saturday’s activities conclude at the Hermosa Beach Pier with the Southern California Lifeguard Championships at 7 p.m.
The LA County Southern team will attempt to defend its championship in the Taplin Medley Relay which consists of four swimmers, four paddlers, and four 2-man dory teams.
The most prestigious lifeguard event in the United States, the Taplin relay has been held every year since 1936 with the exception of 1942 through 1945, when the event was suspended during World War II.
The winning team possesses the “Taplin Bell” perpetual trophy until the following year’s race. The individual names of all sixteen team members from the winning team are engraved on the trophy to mark their place in history.
In the evening prior to the Taplin relay, spectators will be treated to rescue demonstrations, Jr. Lifeguard relays (Venice boys and girls are defending champs), and Lifeguard Beach Flags (2014 winners were Jenna Solberg and Pat Jacobsen of LA County Southern).
Sunday, Aug. 2
One of the fastest rowing sports will be showcased Sunday morning when the Velzy-Stevens Paddleboard Race begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Manhattan Beach Pier.
Presented by the South Bay Boardriders Club, the race finishes on the beach just south of the Hermosa Beach Pier and includes male and female divisions in each of four classes – Unlimited, Class, Soft Boards and Standup Boards.
Top male and female finishers in 2014 were Max First (17:04) and Tamara Lentz (21:03).
While the paddleboarders are leaving Manhattan Beach, many people remaining on the beach will be starting their projects in the Sand Castle Contest.
Contestants can use tools such as buckets, cans or small shovels to construct their sculpture and environmentally safe objects such as beads, shells, feathers, play cars or pebbles to decorate the castles. No bottles, glass or large shovels are allowed.
Also at Manhattan Beach Pier, the finish of one of the most popular long distance swims in the United States will take place.
Last year, more than 1,100 swimmers participated in the 2-mile Dwight Crum Pier-to-Pier Swim that begins on the south side of the Hermosa Beach Pier at 9 a.m.
Male and female defending champions are Ryan Bullock (37:54) and Mallory Mead (43:21).
New to the Surf Festival this year is the Manhattan Beach Junior 6-Man Beach Volleyball Tournament for boys and girls ages 10-18. The event includes boys, girls and co-ed divisions and prizes for the best costume.
Lifeguard competition concludes at the Hermosa Beach Pier with the Paul Matthies Dory Race at 9:30 a.m.
The 3-Lap Dory Race consists of 2-man dory crews who row through the surf, around the pier, and back through the surf on the north side of the pier. One crewmember will exit their dory and run across a flag line on the beach then return to their dory for an ‘exchange’ which completes the lap.
Defending champions are the LA County team of Tom Seth (Manhattan Beach) and Dave Cartlidge (Redondo Beach).
The Doryman’s Relay follows on the north side of the pier. Pitting individual team members against each other, the race features each team member rowing their dory out through the surf, around a buoy, and back through the surf individually, tagging their partner who will row the same course.
Capturing the title in 2014 was the California State duo of Dane DeBoer and James Bray.
The final event of the Surf Festival is the South Bay Youth Swim and Paddle to be held at 1 p.m. on the north side of the Hermosa Beach Pier.
Hosted by the Surfside Swim Team, the event includes boys and girls divisions in the 300 Yard Rough Water Swim (10-12 yrs); 500 Yard Rough Water Swim (13-15 yrs); Boogie Board Race (10-14 yrs); Coaches Choice Race (10-17 yrs); Surfboard Race (10-12 yrs); Surf Board Race (13-15 yrs) and Tandem Surfboard Race (10-17 yrs).
For more information about events, visit surffestival.org.
