LA Southern wins third straight Judge Irvin Taplin Medley Relay championship
Taking advantage of strong performances by their four paddlers, lifeguards from the LA County-Southern team won their third consecutive Judge Irvin Taplin Medley Relay in Hermosa Beach Saturday night.
The event was the featured event as part of the Southern California Lifeguard Championships at the International Surf Festival.
Swimmers Ryan Bullock, Kelsey Cummings, Hogan Inscore and Kevin Fink battled the LA County-Central Section swimmers before paddlers Shane Gallas, Jack Bark, Pat Jacobson and Brian Murphy gave the Southern squad a lead it would not relinquish.
“The swimmers kept us in it, but the paddlers really opened it up for us,” said dory crew member Mel Solberg, who increased his record number of Taplin championships to 18. “It seems surreal to have won that many titles but it never gets old. To win, it takes a true team effort.”
Solberg and teammate Jeff Lombardo completed the race after dory crews Mike Wurzel/Tyler Morgan, Mike O’Donnell/Jeff Hart and Tom Seth/Dave Cartlidge rowed to an insurmountable lead.
Central placed second ahead of third-place finisher LA County-Northern.
It is customary for members of the winning team to ring the perpetual award – the Taplin Bell – the number of times they have won the championship. The names of the winners will also be etched on a plate that will added to those of past winners the Taplin Bell.
While Solberg rang the bell 18 times, he was just as excited to watch teammates who experiencing their inaugural victory.
“I get a kick out of seeing the faces of those who ring the bell for the first time,” Solberg said. “It’s special to see athletes like rookie Jack Bark and veteran Pat Jacobson win it for the first time. The Taplin Bell is the Stanley Cup for lifeguards.”
Swimmer Kelsey Cummings, of El Segundo, became only the second woman to win the Taplin event, which also had a new look this year.
A team from Half Moon Bay, Australia competed as did the all-female team known as the Women’s All-Stars.
On Friday night at the Los Angeles County Lifeguard Championships, the Redondo/Torrance/Cabrillo team pulled off a thrilling victory in the Bud Stevenson Intracrew Medley knocking off runner-up Hermosa Beach and defending champion Manhattan Beach.
The Redondo/Torrance/Cabrillo team was comprised of runners Charlie Pogue and Brandon Gherardi; swimmers Ryan Bullock, Patrick Fink, Hogan Inscore and Jeff Monroe; paddlers Bryce Miller, Matt Fink, Kelsey O’Donnell and Chris Maloney; skier Tom Fink and; dory crew members Mike O’Donnell/Erin O’Donnell, Ethan Peak/Sam O’Hare, Steve Sanders/Travis Robinson and Nick Dole/Ed Butts.
Redondo/Torrance/Cabrillo also captured the 6-Lifeguard Run while Manhattan Beach won the 4-Lifeguard Water Print and 6-Lifeguard Rescue Board events.
Results are available at surffestival.org.