Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue hosts 2024 junior lifeguard championships

Captain A.J. Miller and his staff organize the annual USLA SER Tommy "Tar Toe" Hogan Memorial championships for over 100 athletes.

  • By Michele Meyers
  • | 4:00 p.m. July 17, 2024
  • Ormond Beach Observer
  • Sports
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The United States Lifeguard Association Southeast Region held the 2024 Tommy “Tar Toe” Hogan Memorial Junior Lifeguard Championships on Saturday, July 13 behind the Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona Beach. 

The event was hosted by the Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue with Captain A.J. Miller at the helm. Nine different teams from the southeastern area of Florida and 103 lifeguards competed on the day of the event, including athletes from Atlantic Beach, Boca Raton, Flagler Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Lake Worth, Martin County, Palm Beach County, Pompano Beach and Volusia County. 

Junior lifeguards ranging in age from 7 to 18 years old competed in their age groups in multiple events throughout the day — beach flags, distance swim, distance run, run-swim-run, surf rescue relay, swim relay and the paddle board race.

Jo Wagenhals has been a lifeguard for 25 years and is currently the USLA SER treasurer and public education chair. She volunteers for the competition every year.

“This year the USLA approved a “D” division which is for six, seven and eight year olds because we need to get the kids earlier,” she said. “We are losing kids to other sports. We need to get them earlier so they get a taste of surf lifesaving. It’s the only sport centered around saving a life — there’s no giving up.”

Volusia County finished with 20 first place, 21 second place, 14 third place medals and a first- and second-place win in two mixed races with other teams.

Carter Eby led the boys with firsts in the distance swim, the surf rescue relay with fellow competitor Landon Kramer and the swim relay with Landon Kramer and Logan Wingard and a third place in the run-swim-run. He competes in the 14 and 15 year old division.

Wins were distributed throughout many female competitors with Norah Glatt placing in the top three in the 9, 10 and 11 year old division in five events — first in the surf rescue relay with partner Riley Holt, second in both the beach flags and distance run events and third in the run-swim-run and paddle board race. Auburn Lester took home three first place medals in the distance swim, run-swim-run and the swim relay with Ainsley Chard and Juliet Eby and third in the surf rescue relay with Juliet Eby.

Lester, 11, of Palm Coast, has been training with the Flagler Fluid swim team.

“I’m a really, really good swimmer,” Lester said. “My fastest time is 30 seconds in the 50 freestyle. This (junior lifeguard competition) is something special — it means the world to me. I want to become an Olympian.”

Flagler Beach lifeguard Alex Kaiser had five top three finishes in the boys 12 and 13 year old division placing third in four events — the beach flags, distance run, run-swim-run, and the surf rescue relay with Pompano Beach athlete Elvis Plouffe. He finished first in the swim relay with Plouffe and Lake Worth competitor Aiden Melchor. 

“With over 100 athletes in attendance from around the state, it is inspiring to see the next generation of protectors of Florida’s coastline showcase their skills and enthusiasm for the sport of surf lifesaving,” Miller said.

 

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