Despite having clinched its 40th overall title the previous day, there was plenty of excitement for L.A. County Lifeguards Saturday when two of its members claimed individual titles on the final day of competition of the Nautica USLA National Lifeguard Championships in Manhattan Beach.
When the results from 27 events were tabulated, Redondo Beach’s Brian Murphy took top honors among male competitors finishing with 78.625 points. Murphy took first place in the open division of the Ironman, Board Race and Surfski competitions and was a member of the second-place Taplin Relay team.
Murphy beat L.A. County Lifeguard Association (LACLA) teammate Chad Carvin for the title. Carvin (65.625), a swimming silver medalist in the 2000 Olympics, edged Matt Nunnally (65.25) of Monmouth, N.J. for second place.
Other LACLA top-ten finishers included Tyler Morgan (4th, 61), Tim Burdiak (7th, 44.75) and Shane Gallas (8th, 42.75).
Coral Kemp, of El Segundo, 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 amassed 76.25 points to overtake Anne Skimmons (64.5) of Monmouth, N.J. for the runner-up position.
Kelsey O’Donnell (4th, 64.25) and Jenna Solberg (9th, 43) also had top-ten finished for L.A. County.
The LACLA dominated the Chapter competition at the 44th annual event, winning the Howard Lee Perpetual Trophy with 1,644 points, well ahead of California State Lifeguard Association (764.625) and Monmouth, N.J. (659.875).
It was L.A. County’s 27th consecutive team championship.
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).
Hundreds of spectators, many being friends and family of local competitors, watched the excitement from the sand just south of the Manhattan Beach Pier.
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 competition.
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 we were 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.”
For complete results from the four day event that included Junior Lifeguard competition on Wednesday, visit uslanationals.org.
