Despite fielding what is thought to be its youngest squad, the Life Saving Victoria team of Australia retained its claim to the 24th biannual Wieland Shield with an impressive win over the California lifeguards in competition held in Hermosa Beach.
Although California won the Surf Teams and Surf Rescue Relay-Mixed competition, the final two events held Saturday evening, it was too little, too late for the Americans who fell to Victoria 77-59.
The win capped off a 2 ½-week trip for the Australians who had also competed in San Clemente and Huntington Beach during their stay in California.
It wasn’t all business for the team, however, as they attended a San Diego Padres baseball game, visited Catalina Island and took in the culture of Southern California.
“To be honest, we didn’t come here expecting to win,” Victoria head coach Chris Porter said. “So this is absolutely fantastic. But it’s more about a celebration about lifeguarding and competition between the states. It’s more about the close relationships.”
Porter felt California had the edge in swimming and was thrilled with his team’s performance on the first of two days of competition which was held as part of the 54th International Surf Festival.
“We did better than expected on Friday,” Porter said. “We weren’t expected to be in front. This is such a unique event with competition held under the lights/”
With it being winter in Australia, most of the Victoria team is comprised of university students whose schedules were flexible enough for them to make the trip to California. Many had never left Australia before although Porter has had years of experience.
“I’ve been coming here for over 21 years but it’s the first time for this team to see this,” Porter explained. “The Medal of Valor dinner (held Thursday night at Seaside Lagoon in Redondo Beach) was a real eye opener for the kids. They’ve seen the passion and commitment the lifeguards have here. The stories they heard, particularly from the three Medal of Valor winners, was a real inspiration to the kids and I think they’ll walk away from that evening and be better lifeguards when they get home.”
After Victoria was presented the Wieland Shield, Saturday’s events included Junior Lifeguard Championships and Beach Flags competition concluding with the main event – the Judge Irvin Taplin Medley Relay.
Representing the South Bay, the LA County – Southern team captured its second straight Taplin Bell, the perpetual award presented to the winner of the contest that features teams from throughout Southern California.
The names of each member of the winning team has his name on the Taplin Bell
Competition includes four swimmers, four paddlers and four two-man dory teams from each lifeguard agency.
After swimmers gave LA County – Central the lead, the Southern squad narrowed the margin and pulled away with strong rowing teams that included the two winningest lifeguards in Taplin history.
As is tradition, each winning lifeguard has his or her name read aloud, is presented a medal then rings the Taplin Bell the number of times the individual lifeguard has won.
Rowing with partner Jeff Lombardo in the third leg of the dory race Mel Solberg, of Torrance, increased his record-holding number of wins to 17.
“It’s always such a great feeling to win this and tonight was a total team effort,” Solberg said. “Never in a million years did I think I would have this many wins. When you win that first one, you‘re so happy that your on that bell for all time. Then you get the fever and you want to keep winning and winning. I love hearing these guys when they win it for the first time because I remember my first and it’s an amazing feeling.”
Solberg said this year’s event would always hold a special place in his heart. Friday night, he and his daughter Jenna became the first father and daughter to be on the winning Bud Stevenson Intracrew Relay team.
Close behind Solberg in wins is Tom Seth, of Manhattan Beach. Seth has won the Taplin Bell 16 times and knows the importance of strategy and finishing strong. He and longtime partner Dave Cartlidge rowed the final leg of the dory race.
“We knew that Central had amazing swimmers so we felt that when our first board (paddler) hit the water and we were within a minute and a half then we were going to be okay,” Seth said. “We have great boards and boats so when were only behind 35 seconds when our first board went out, I knew we had it and wasn’t worried at all. It was nice going last with such a big lead. All we had to do was row safe and not crash.”
Seth recalled the first of his many wins.
“Winning the first one was so fun because the South Bay had been waiting for so long,” Seth said. “When I first started we weren’t even close and it took me at least five years before my first win. When Gary Crum came to our section and became our chief, he really got us training for the Taplin which he was really fond of.”
Seth expects a stronger test in next year’s Taplin competition.
“There is a team coming from Australia that really wants to beat us,” Seth said. “They but a dory and have been training hard. They don’t have dorys there but their board paddlers are amazing and they have very good swimmers.”
For complete results of the international Surf Festival, visit surffestival.org.
