COMPETITION HEATS UP AT NAUTICA USLA

LIFEGUARD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN VIRGINIA BEACH

Age Group Champions Crowned in Board Race, Ironman/Ironwoman and Surf Race; Open Champions Crowned in Beach Flags, Board Race, Ironman/Ironwoman, Rescue Race, Surf Boat and Surf Race

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.(Aug. 8, 2014) — The Nautica United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Lifeguard Championships continued in Virginia Beach Friday, Aug. 8. The USLA crowned more age group champions in the Board Race, Ironman/Ironwoman and Surf Race events.Open champions in Beach Flags, Board Race, Ironman/Ironwoman, Rescue Race, Surf Boat and Surf Race were also crowned today.

Professional lifeguards from 64 USLA chaptersaround the country are competing for individual and team honors in water and beach course events that challenge their lifesaving skills. Heading into the final day of competition, the Monmouth County leads all competitors with 673.5 team points. LA County Surf Life Saving Association currently ranks second with 576.75 points and is eyeing a comeback to protect their title on the final day of competition. Smith Point leads the B Division (chapters with 100 lifeguards or less) with 176.5 points. Two Florida teams – Destin and Ft. Lauderdale – are not far behind.

Open (1st through 3rd) and Age Group champions for each of Friday’s Nautica USLA National Lifeguard Championships events follow:

BEACH FLAGS:From a prone starting position on the beach, competitors rise, turn and race to obtain a baton (beach flag) buried upright in the sand approximately 20 meters away. Since there are always fewer batons than competitors, those who fail to obtain a baton are eliminated.

Men’s Open

  1. Brian Costello – Smith Point, N.Y.
  2. Garrett Thibodeau – Smith Point, N.Y.
  3. Charles Appel – Smith Point, N.Y.

Women’s Open

  1. Brianne Jackolski – Smith Point, N.Y.
  2. Josie Nixon – Sussex County, Del.
  3. Lucy Kolhoff – Hampton Lifeguard Association, N.Y.

BOARD RACE: Competitors stand on or behind the start line on the beach with their boards 1.5 meters apart. At the start signal, competitors enter the water, launch their boards and paddle the course marked by buoys, return to the beach and run to cross the finish line. Competitors are not permitted to hold or otherwise interfere with other competitors’ boards or deliberately impede their progress.

Men’s Open

  1. Shane Scoggins – California State Lifeguard Association, Calif.
  2. Brian Murphy – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.
  3. Cooper Halligan – Destin, Fla.

Women’s Open

  1. Kelsey O’Donnell – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.
  2. Eva Porter – Jax Beach, Fla.
  3. Jenna Solberg – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Men’s 30-34

  1. Steven O’Boyle – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women’s 30-34

  1. Tandis Morgan – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Men’s 35-39

  1. Phillip Lloyd – Destin, Fla.

Women’s 35-39

  1. Caroline Pierre – Canada

Men’s 40-44

  1. Christopher Esibill – Destin, Fla.

Women’s 40-44

  1. Christina Sutcliffe – Canada

Men’s 45-49

  1. Cris Dobrosielski – San Diego Surf Lifesaving Association, Calif.

Women’s 45-49

  1. Katie McCully – Cape Cod, Mass.

Men’s 50-54

  1. Tom Fink – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Women’s 50-54

  1. Deirdre Fisher – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Men’s 55-59

  1. John Forrester – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women’s 55-59

  1. Janet Carbin – Monmouth County, N.J.

Men’s 60-64

  1. Mark Myhre – Town of Palm Beach, Fla.

Women’s 60-64

  1. Susan Wallis – Jax Beach, Fla.

Men’s 65-69

  1. Doug Bishop – Canada

Men’s 70+

  1. John Sink – Monmouth County, N.J.

IRONMAN/IRONWOMAN:Competitors cover a 1,400 meter (approx.) course that includes a swim leg, a board leg, a ski leg and a beach sprint finish.

Men’s Open

  1. Cooper Halligan – Destin, Fla.
  2. Brian Murphy – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.
  3. Thomas O’Neill – Riis Park

Women’s Open

  1. Alexandra Ferguson – Canada
  2. Kelsey O’Donnell – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.
  3. Eva Porter – Jax Beach, Fla.

Men’s 30-34

  1. Barrett Phifer – Jax Beach, Fla.

Women’s 30-34

  1. Tandis Morgan – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Men’s 35-39

  1. Phillip Lloyd – Destin, Fla.

Women’s 35-39

  1. Caroline Pierre – Canada

Men’s 40-44

  1. Michael Vile – Long Beach Island, N.J.

Women’s 40-44

  1. Christina Sutcliffe – Canada

Men’s 45-49

  1. Cris Dobrosielski – San Diego Surf Lifesaving Association, Calif.

Women’s 45-49

  1. Betsy Simpson – Canada

Men’s 50-54

  1. Tom Fink – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Women’s 50-54

  1. Deirdre Fisher – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Men’s 55-59

  1. John Forrester – Monmouth County, N.J.

Men’s 60-64

  1. Eldin Onsgard – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Women’s 60-64

  1. Susan Wallis – Jax Beach, Fla.

Men’s 65-69

  1. Doug Bishop – Canada

Men’s 70+

  1. James Somers – Monmouth County, N.J.

RESCUE RACE: Four competitors from each team participate in the event: a “victim,” one rescue tube swimmer and two rescuers. The victim swims approximately 120 meters to a designated buoy, signals and waits to be rescued by the rescue tube swimmer. As they return to shore, the remaining two rescuers enter the water to assist. The event finishes when the first competitor in a team crosses the finish line while in contact with the victim.

Open Men

  1. Bobby Smith, Christopher Russo, Nick Smith & Kyle Wilson – Long Beach & Fire Island, N.Y.
  2. Pat Kilgallen, Thomas O’Neill, Brian O’Neill & Christian Foti – Riis Park, N.Y.
  3. Hunter Hay, Maurice Peacock, Raymond McGorry & Steve Conrad – Wrightsville Beach, N.C.

Open Women

  1. Hannah Elliott, Hayley Masi, Jennifer Rau & Sarah George – Monmouth County, N.J.
  2. Caren Guyett, Anne Skimmons, Lisa George & Kristen Ditommaso – Monmouth County, N.J.
  3. Chris Linkletter, Tandis Morgan, Coral Kemp & Kelsey O’Donnell – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

SURF BOAT RACE: Two person surf boat teams row around the three outside buoy courses returning to shore where one member disembarks from the boat and runs up to touch the line. Once across the touchline, the member can return to their surf boat for a second lap, repeating the touch line run. At the finish of the third lap, one member must leave the boat and run up and across the finish line. Three lap races are approximately 2,000 meters with each lap approximately 665 meters.

Open Men

  1. Boki Corsovic & Jose Bolivar – Hollywood Beach, Calif.
  2. Matt Nunnally & Stephen Grober – Monmouth County, N.J.
  3. Dan George & William George – Monmouth County, N.J.

Open Women

  1. Shelley Griffith & Sherry Griffith – Boca Raton, Fla.
  2. Jennifer Rau & Alexandra O’Connor – Monmouth County, N.J. & Hallandale Beach, Fla.
  3. Jennifer Noonan & Jillian Kenney – Ft. Lauderdale Ocean Rescue, Fla.

SURF RACE:With a running start into the surf from the start line on the beach, competitors swim around the 400 meter course designated by buoys, around the left end buoy of the flag line to the two black and white buoys returning to shore passing the right end of the flag buoy line to finish between the finish flags on the beach.

Men’s Open

  1. Thomas O’Neill – Riis Park, N.Y.
  2. Rodney Fentress – Virginia Beach Lifesaving Association, Va.
  3. Pat Kilgallen – Riis Park, N.Y.

Women’s Open

  1. Caren Guyett – Monmouth County, N.J.
  2. Ashley Smith – Jones Beach State Park, N.Y.
  3. Hannah Elliott – Monmouth County, N.J.

Men’s 30-34

  1. Corey McMeeking – Volusia Surf Lifesaving Association, Fla.

Women’s 30-34

  1. Jenna Parker – Monmouth County, N.J.

Men’s 35-39

  1. Chris Egan – California State Lifeguard Association, Calif.

Women’s 35-39

  1. Caroline Pierre – Canada

Men’s 40-44

  1. Matt Nunnally – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women’s 40-44

  1. Michelle Davidson – Monmouth County, N.J.

Men’s 45-49

  1. Petko Prachtakov – Hollywood Beach, Calif.

Women’s 45-49

  1. Katie McCully – Cape Cod, Mass.

Men’s 50-54

  1. Charlie Lydecker – Smith Point, N.Y.

Women’s 50-54

  1. Ann Finley – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Men’s 55-59

  1. John Forrester – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women’s 55-59

  1. Janet Carbin – Monmouth County, N.J.

Men’s 60-64

  1. Jack Martin – Monmouth County, N.J.

Women’s 60-64

  1. Shannon Sullivan – LA County Surf Life Saving Association, Calif.

Men’s 65-69

  1. Doug Bishop – Canada

Men’s 70+

  1. John Sink – Monmouth County, N.J.

Hosted by the Virginia Beach Lifeguard Association (VBLA), the USLA National Lifeguard Championships ConcludesSaturday, Aug. 9. Competition starts again at 8 a.m. ET on Virginia Beach between 27th and 30th Streets. At the close of competition, the 2014 champions will be crowned. Open finals scheduled for Saturday include: American Ironman/Ironwoman, 2K Beach Run, Board Rescue, Landline, and Run Relay, Run-Swim-Run and Surf Ski.

Admission to the Nautica USLA National Lifeguard Championships in Virginia Beach is free of charge.

For more information on the 2014 Nautica USLA National Lifeguard Championships, and for full results from day one of Nationals, visit

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About USLA

The United States Lifesaving Association 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. Lifeguard competition in the U.S. owes its heritage to the Surf Lifesaving competitions in Australia. The first National Lifeguard Competition under the USLA banner was held in San Diego in August of 1980, bringing members of the various chapters from around the nation to compete. There are now more than 100 chapters of USLA, each affiliated with local lifesaving services and beach patrols, and composed of employees of these organizations. For more information, please visit

About Nautica

Founded in 1983,Nautica® is a leading global lifestyle brand ranging from men’s, women’s and children’s apparel and accessories to a complete home collection. Nautica® products are refined casual classics inspired and energized by the water that are always crisp, clean and distinct. TodayNautica®is available in more than 75 countries with 265 full price Nautica® branded stores and over 3,000 Nautica branded shop-in-shops worldwide.In 2003, the Company was acquired by VF Corporation, a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel and footwear with more than 30 brands. The company’s five largest brands are The North Face®, Vans®, Wrangler®, Timberland®, and Lee®. Other brands include 7 For All Mankind®, Bulwark®, Eagle Creek®, Eastpak®, Ella Moss®, JanSport®, Kipling®, lucy®, Majestic®, Napapijri®, Nautica®, Red Kap®, Reef®, Riders®, Splendid® and SmartWool®. For additional information, please go to and

Photos:Photos of today’s events will be available later tonight at . (Photos Courtesy: Hit-Pics)

Media Contacts:

Sarah Houseknecht
BZAPR on behalf of USLA

(212) 708-1677 / Dan Cawley
DIA on behalf of VBLA

(757) 314-3100, ext. 336 / Amy Reinitz
Nautica

(212) 299-5285