Virginia Beach, N.C. lifeguards take top honors in competition in N.C.

By Cindy Clayton
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 21, 2008

Virginia Beach lifeguards have taken top honors in the South Atlantic Lifesaving Association's Regional Lifeguard Competition.

The 22-person team took the top honor during a series of events held on Pleasure Island in North Carolina on July 16 and 17, the association said.

Lifeguards from Nags Head Fire and Ocean Rescue also placed first in the B Division, or small agency division. Corolla Ocean Rescue placed second, three points behind Nags Head.

The competition also included lifeguards from Atlantic Beach, Carolina Beach, Charleston County, Fernandina Beach, Hilton Head, Horry County, Jacksonville Beach, Kill Devil Hills, Nassau County and Wrightsville Beach.

Virginia Beach lifeguards also took top honors in individual events, including:

- David Bostic, 2K run, rescue board and run-swim-run, all in the men's age 45 to 49 category

- David Dierstein, open men's rescue board, rescue race; age 30 to 34 2K for men; age 30 to 34 rescue board for men; age 30 to 34 surf-ski for men and age 30 to 34 international ironman

- Jim Dierstein, 2K run, surf-swim, rescue board, run-swim-run, beach flags all in the men's 55 to 59 category

- Stephen Dierstein, open men's swim rescue race

- Ginna Ellis, open women's 2K run

- Patrick Frisk, open men's surf swim, open men's rescue board rescue race

- Tom Gill, men's age 35 to 39 run-swim-run - Sean Millard, open men's swim-rescue race

- Martina Moravcikova, open woman's surf swim

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why the negativity?

Submitted by eah09 on Tue, 07/22/2008 at 6:10 pm.

Considering the team was comprised of only 22 people, I would assume that the Virginia Beach oceanfront was NOT left in the hands of only the "bad" lifeguards. There are probably 44 guards manning stands each day (if not more), so by that logic, half of the guards on the beach everyday would be the "bad" lifeguards. With that said, the rescues this past week were certainly not due to the absence of these 22 guards, but rather the dangerous ocean conditions resulting from Bertha's strong surf. I would assume that the 22-guard team merely consisted of Virginia Beach's absolute best candidates for each particular event. A lifesaving service that runs only 22 "good" lifeguards deep probably wouldn't be strong enough to win such a competitive title. In fact, the 1st place title speaks volumes for not just the regional team, but for ALL of the Virginia Beach lifeguards.

Congratulations

Submitted by jfr on Tue, 07/22/2008 at 1:53 am.

to all the winners and all those involved in the contests. Guess my age is showing, thought all lifeguards were in their teens! Time marches on and Tidewater, HAGD.

Thats good.

Submitted by brock5757 on Mon, 07/21/2008 at 1:40 pm.

So who was guarding the beaches when all this went down? The bad lifeguards?

Didn't VP just run a story about a rather high number of beach rescues right around the time this thing was going on? Good thing this event wasn't announced before it happened. Might have scared some people away from the Oceanfront area.

Great timing, for sure. Maybe now we can schedule the annual firefighting competition on Thanksgiving day, or a policemen's challenge on New Years Eve.