VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — More than 1,000 lifeguards flocked to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront for the 2019 United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Lifeguard Championships.
For the fourth year, the event returns to Virginia Beach with lifeguards and junior lifeguards from across the country competing for individual and team honors, Wednesday, August 7 through Saturday, August 10.
Professional Lifeguards ranging in age from 17 to 80, and Junior Lifeguards from ages nine to 15 will compete in water and beach course events that challenge their lifesaving skills in a myriad of events from surf swims to beach runs; paddleboards to surf boats.
A few of the event's highlights include the Landline Rescue Relay, Ironman and Ironwoman events, and the fan-favorite beach flags event which will be contested under the lights on 29th Street Friday night, August 9, in front of what is sure to be a boisterous crowd.
“The USLA is thrilled to bring together the best of the best in lifesaving for what promises to be an exciting National Championship event in Virginia Beach, a city with a rich lifesaving history,” said Ed Zebrowski III, Lifesaving Sports Chair for the USLA. “These lifeguards are dedicated in their training, not just for the competition but to be better equipped to perform their daily job of protecting their fellow beach-goers.”
“It’s so much more than the competition. It’s public education, it’s setting standards for Lifeguard agencies around the country," said coordinator Tom Gill.
Even more, it brings people off all ages and walks of life together.
Volunteer lifeguard, Susan Walls loves rescuing people around the Jacksonville beaches.
“I’m 66 I don’t mind saying, I’m proud of my age," said Walls. “I called them kids because they are. [I enjoy] competing with them and being friends with them and being a mother with them, that’s the best part."
For Virginia Beach competitor Michael Miller, it’s the energy and inspiration he gets from people like Wallis that makes this event special.
“It’s so inspiring. So I want to be like that when I get her age,” Miller said. “I woke up at 5 in the morning, I was so excited to get down here and be with the team.”
Even vendors traveled across the world for this. Toby Haenen, the Director of Engine Swim, traveled from Melbourne, Australia.
He said he made the trip to Virginia Beach during the winter season in Australia because the lifeguards' work is important to support.
“Lifeguards are training harder, getting faster all in the space of making the world a better place and safe to be," said Haenen.
Competitors at this year’s Nationals will be chasing the 2018 defending champions from LA County, who reclaimed the title after the perennial powers were dethroned by Monmouth County (N.J.) in 2017.
LA County has won the overall team championship 29 out of the past 31 years.
Click here to learn more about the 2019 Jersey Mike’s USLA National Lifeguard Championships or to watch the live stream.