The L.A. County Lifeguard Association (LACLA) continued its dominance at the Nautica USLA National Lifeguard Championships in Manhattan Beach with the team amassing 902 points after 114 open and age-group events to win its 27th consecutive championship 40th in 44 years of the event.
Going into the final day of competition on Saturday, LACLA built an insurmountable lead over the California State Lifeguard Association (333 points), Monmouth County, N.J. (330.75) and Sussex County, Del. (125.5). LACLA finished 1-2-3 in six events.
Free to the public, Saturday’s action begins at 8 a.m. just east of the Manhattan Beach Pier and will include: the 2K Beach Run (Open and Age Group); Landline Rescue Race; American Ironman and Ironwoman (Open); Run-Swim-Run (Open and Age Group); Surfski Race (Open); Board Rescue (Open); Beach Relay (Open) and Taplin Relay (Open).
Redondo Beach’s Brian Murphy claimed his 9th national title in the Board Race on Friday before winning the men’s Open division of the Ironman.
“At some point, you go wow, 26 in a row?” said Murphy, whose brothers Dan, Mike and Chris also are county lifeguards. “The Lakers win three in a row and it’s a dynasty. But we’ve been lucky because we have a large organization that a lot of beaches don’t have. And yes, we do have some amazing athletes.”
Manhattan Beach’s Tom Seth was also a double winner, capturing the Board Race (ages 45-49) and teaming with partner David Cartlidge, of Redondo Beach, to win the A division of the men’s Open in the Surf Boat event.
LACLA winners from Friday’s competition included the men’s Open A and B divisions in the Surf Boat Race and the women’s Open B division in the Rescue Race.
Joining Murphy as winners in the Ironman event were age division champions Micah Carlson (30-34), Jeff Monroe (35-39), Thomas Fink (50-54), Eldin Onsgard (60-64), Joel Gitelson (65-69) and Bob Burnside (70-Plus). Tandis Morgan won the Ironwoman competition in the 30-34 age group while Shari Latta took top honors in the 50-54 division.
In the Surf Swim event, Chad Carvin was champion in the men’s Open division. Age division winners included Carlson, Jeff Monroe (36-38), Fink and Gitelson. Women’s age group winners were Morgan, Ann Finley (50-54) and Cheri Ellington (55-59).
Men’s Board Race winners included Murphy (Open), Spencer Parker (30-34), Carvin, Seth, Gitelson and Steve Morgan (70-Plus).
Kelsey O’Donnell was crowned the women’s Open champion while Morgan, Chris Linkletter (45-49), Latta and Ellington won their respective age groups.
Thursday’s age group competition included the Surf Boat Race, Ironwoman, Ironman and Beach Flags events.
Two-man teams from the LACLA took first place in the Surf Boat Race in men’s age divisions 30-34, 45-49, 50-54 and 60-64. LACLA men teamed with Monmouth County, N.J. in the 65-69 group and with Town of Palm Beach in the 70-plus division.
Five men and two women from LACLA captured gold in the Surf Ski competition. Carlson (30-34), Tyler Morgan (35-39), Jay Butki (40-44), Onsgard (60-64) and Gitelson (65-69) won men’s titles while Tandis Morgan (30-34) and Latta (50-54) were crowned winners in the women’s competition.
In Beach Flags action, Joji Abasolo (men’s 35-39) placed first while Onsgard and Latta each won their second individual titles.
For individual and team results from junior and professional competition, visit: uslanationals.org.
The United States Lifesaving Association (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.
