Led by a pair of South Bay athletes, the long winning streak of the L.A. County Lifeguard Association (LACLA) was kept intact when the chapter dominated the Nautica USLA National Lifeguards Championships in Manhattan Beach last week.
Redondo Beach’s Brian Murphy and El Segundo’s Coral Kemp were individual champions, helping LACLA win its 27th consecutive national title and 40th overall in the 44 years of the event.
“At some point, you go wow, 26 in a row?” Murphy said prior to the team clinching the title on Friday. “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.”
Murphy, whose brothers Dan, Mike and Chris also are county lifeguards, claimed his 9th national title in the Board Race, took first in the Ironman and Surf Ski competitions and was a member of the second-place Taplin Relay team.
When the results from 27 events were tabulated, Murphy had amassed 78.625 points, beating out LACLA teammate and 2000 Olympic swimming silver medalist Chad Carvin (65.625) and Matt Nunnally (65.25) of Monmouth, N.J.
“It feels great to win after finishing second quite a few times,” Murphy said. “And it’s cool to do it in Manhattan Beach.”
Murphy had a large entourage of supporters including godparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. His brother, Mike, served as commentator at the event.
Murphy cited winning the Board Race was a highlight of the competition. He passed the final buoy together with Shane Scoggins of the California State Lifeguard Association before pulling away at the end of the race.
“I’m shooting for 10 straight now,” Murphy said. “I got married this past year and thought about hanging up my board shorts and paddleboard. But I fought off my inner demons. My wife is very supportive and understanding of a lifeguard’s schedule that could mean getting up at 5 a.m. and returning home at 7:30 p.m.”
Murphy added that he was happy to see the first class of rookies in five years compete at the event.
“It was fun to bust their chops, yelling ‘Hey rookie, grab that tent,’” Murphy admitted. “But we take our job very seriously. Our level of training surpasses most agencies but we still learn new techniques from other guards.”
Kemp captured the female division with 83.375 points. Kemp teamed with Tandis Morgan to win the Board Rescue Race and was a member of the Landline Rescue winning team in the Men’s Open B division.
She finished second in the American Ironwoman and Run-Swim-Run events and had third-place finishes in the Surf Boat Race and as a member of the Landline Rescue Women’s Open B and Women’s Taplin Relay teams.
Kemp won the individual title by outscoring teammate Alison Riddle, of Hermosa Beach, who accrued 76.25 points to overtake Anne Skimmons (64.5) of Monmouth, N.J. for the runner-up position.
“It’s only my second competing so it’s an amazing feeling,” Kemp said. “We had such great team unity last year in Cape May (New Jersey) and it felt the same way this year. I was so honored to be able to partner with Tandis in the Board Rescue. She is such a pro when it comes to the surf and currents.”
Kemp laughed when she talked about finishing dead last in the Surfski.
“It’s not a strong event for me,” Kemp said. “But, even though I was last, it was nice to finish going through the ‘Tunnel of Love’ where fellow competitors hold hands forming a tunnel to run through.”
Although she competed in numerous events including every relay, Kemp said the highlight of the championships was the after party at the Neptunian Woman’s Club in Manhattan Beach.
“Meeting and talking to other athletes as well as legends in ocean sports was exciting,” said Kemp, who also sang at the party with her band Run-Swim-Run.
Kemp said her next goal is to compete in the Lifesaving World Championships next year in Montpellier, France.
Other LACLA top-ten finishers included Tyler Morgan (4th, 61), Tim Burdiak (7th, 44.75) and Shane Gallas (8th, 42.75) in the men’s division and Kelsey O’Donnell (4th, 64.25) and Jenna Solberg (9th, 43) for the women.
With 1,644 points, the LACLA was awarded the Howard Lee Perpetual Trophy, finishing well ahead of California State Lifeguard Association (764.625) and Monmouth, N.J. (659.875).
In the small lifeguard chapter division (100 guards or less), Smith Point, N.Y., captured the overall title with 433.125 points followed by Destin, Fla. (207.875) and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (199.75).
Retired Los Angeles County lifeguard Joe Gitelson took home seven gold medals, finishing first in the 65 to 69 year-old age group in the Paddleboard, Surf Ski, Run-Swim-Run, Dory, Surf Boat, American Ironman and International Ironman. Gitelson was the only competitor in his age group.
In a display of lifeguard camaraderie, Gitelson teamed with Monmouth, N.J. Capt. James Simonelli in the Surf Boat event. Simonelli’s partner was affected by Hurricane Sandy and could not make the trip to the west coast.
“The east coast guys are great,” Gitelson said. “Monmouth really came to compete.”
Home course advantage
Manhattan Beach’s Tom Seth was a double winner, capturing the Board Race (ages 45-49) and teamed with David Cartlidge, of Redondo Beach, to win the A division of the Men’s Open in the Surf Boat event.
The 45-year-old Seth has been rowing since the age of 28 and was happy he and Cartlidge could win in front of friends and family that included Seth’s wife, two daughters and in-laws. Both daughters are in the Junior Lifeguard program.
“Dave and I have done very well this year,” Seth said. “We won the National Doryman’s Association championship and have lost only twice in about 20 races.”
Seth, who also competed in the American Ironman, admitted there was a slight home-course advantage.
“There was a great turnout of fans supporting us,” Seth said. “With the air at 75 degrees and the water at 68, the conditions were perfect. The water on the east coast is much warmer so the east coasters were freezing. Staying in shape for competitions really make us better lifeguards.”
El Segundo native and current Hermosa Beach resident Tandis Morgan enjoyed first-place finishes in the Board Rescue (with Kemp) and the Taplin Relay along with teammates Diane Graner Gallas, Kelsey O’Donnell and Catherine Hazelrigg.
Morgan also won her age group in four events and placed third in the Open Ironwoman and Women’s Open B Landline Rescue competitions.
Although pleased with her personal performances, an exhausted Morgan said her accomplishments were not the highlight of the three days competition among professional lifeguards.
“I loved seeing the young kids come up as professional lifeguards,” Morgan said. “It was the first class of rookies in five years. It was fun watching the new generation get excited about the competition.”
Morgan has competed in every national championship since the event was held in San Diego in 2002. She was ecstatic to get a monkey off her back.
“Winning the Board Rescue with Coral meant a lot to me,” Morgan explained. “It’s my favorite race. It was added as a women’s event in 2010 but my team was disqualified, which I disagreed with, so it’s been a thorn in my side.”
Morgan and Kemp’s victory topped a 1-2-3 finish for LACLA women in the Board Rescue Open division. Kelsey O’Donnell and Diane Gallas Graner placed second ahead of Kailey Makuta and Jenna Solberg.
LACLA men also fared well in the event. Tucker Hopkins and Carvin finished ahead of runners-up Matty and Shane Gallas in the Men’s Open A competition while Patrick and Matthew Fink placed first in the B division.
Morgan added that competing at her “home beach” had its advantages. Not only was she familiar with the conditions, her mom and dad (who live in El Segundo) and a 17-year-old cousin from Chicago were able to watch her and her brother Tyler (4th overall) in action. Her father, Steve is a retired lifeguard who competed in the 70-Plus age group.
“I love the fact that the ocean is the great equalizer,” Tandis said. “You can train all you want, but you have to be wave savvy. The lateral currents, rip currents, sand bars and holes require strategy and will power. Next to the South Bay, my favorite place to compete is at Cape May, New Jersey because it has the same type of conditions.”
Manhattan Beach native and current resident Jeff Lombardo also took advantage of the home course. The 33-year-old former water polo player from Chadwick High School dethroned six-time champion Matt Nunnally of Monmouth, N.J. to capture the American Ironman title.
Lombardo passed Nunnally and teammate Jeff Hart on the 1,400 meter course that includes a swim leg, a board leg, a solo surf boat and a beach sprint finish.
It was suggested that the huge win would now allow him bragging rights among his fellow lifeguards on the beach for at least the next couple of months. “Are you kidding? Bragging rights for the rest of my life,” Lombardo exclaimed.
“I’m on such a high right now. This is my biggest athletic accomplishment of my life. It’s amazing to do it in my hometown and home course and in front of my family and friends.”
Maintaining the family tradition
El Segundo’s Kira Makuta captured five gold medals to help the LACLA dominate the Junior Lifeguard on the first day of competition last Wednesday.
More than 450 Junior Lifeguards competed in events that include a Beach Run, Surf Race, Run-Swim-Run, Rescue Board Race, Iron Guard, Rescue Race, Swim Relay and Beach Flags.
It was familiar water for Makuta who has had 13 relatives that have been or are currently L.A. County Lifeguards, including her father who is a retired chief.
Competing in the Girls’ 16 and 17-year-old division, Makuta won gold in the Iron Guard, Run-Swim-Run, Rescue Board Race, Surf Race (distance swim) and was a member of the winning Swim Relay team.
“It was fun, exciting,” said Makuta, moments after exiting the water following her first win in the Iron Guard 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.
“Kira really dominated today,” said Makuta’s uncle, Steve Contarsy, of Mar Vista, an L.A. County Lifeguard. “It’s in her blood. We’ve all spent so much time dedicated to this profession. She is definitely the next in line to continue the tradition.”
Added L.A. County Lifeguard Junior Coordinator Brian Murphy: “Kira could have competed and done very well in some of the women’s open events. She’s one of our top competitors and we are thrilled at the way she performed today.”
Murphy said that approximately 3,700 kids are enrolled in the Junior Lifeguard program including a 400 increase from last year.
“That just shows the strengths of the instructors,” Murphy said.
Kemp added: “The Junior Lifeguards sparked me to become a professional lifeguard.”
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.
For complete results from the four day event, visit uslanationals.org.
