National lifeguard championships roll into Huntington Beach
Surf City, in turn, was pumping out sizable waves Thursday, almost like an invitation or challenge to those visiting from around the country, depending on perspective.
'The conditions are pretty rough,' said Skip Prosser, USLA scoring director and a lifeguard in nearby Long Beach. 'I mean, the waves are probably 5 to 6 foot … There were a lot of wide open eyes and jaws dropping from the East Coast people. They're not used to this at all.'
Still, the show has gone on at the competition, which is taking place on the beach between Beach Boulevard and Newland Street.
First came the National Junior Lifeguard Championships on Wednesday, which had about 300 young competitors in a variety of races and skills. The National Lifeguard Championships, which Prosser said has 450 to 500 competitors, started Thursday and continues through Sunday.
Bailey Noel of Delaware, attending the national competition with Sussex County Lifesaving, took first place in his men's surf race heat on Thursday morning.
'This surf is a little bit bigger, for sure, than what we're used to in Delaware,' said Noel, 38. 'But we all love the sport of surf lifesaving, and we train all year. This is just a little bit of fun.
'It does put things into perspective. If a person is out there and they need help, we have to be ready at a moment's notice, just go out there and help them. But we train for it all year, so we're ready.'
Due to the conditions, the surfboat races were postponed a day — 'In the interest of safety, the officials said no,' Prosser said.
Montana George, a lifeguard at Huntington State Beach, said she was looking forward to competing at what amounted to a home meet. The 22-year-old from Carson is representing the California State Lifeguard Assn., which has a sizable presence with more than 80 competitors at nationals.
'From what I was told from some of the older guys, we've never had surf this big at nationals before,' said George, who is competing in her third national championships and also competed in the Lifesaving World Championships in Australia last year. 'Having it at Huntington just makes everyone excited, I think … It's been a big summer in Huntington, but last week we had like half-a-foot waves. As much as I've had the advantage of being here all summer, training last week I had no surf to train in. It's super fun to see how fast the conditions can change. I think today or [Friday] is going to be the biggest day, and it's going to be a little bit smaller on Saturday.'
The national championships will continue with beach course races on the sand, as well as water course and boat and ski course events.
Prosser said the event was a culmination of all of the work the lifeguards have already put into prior competitions, as well as keeping in shape for their jobs on the beach.
'It's good, it's a time to see old friends,' he said. 'Every year I get to see people that I don't see for a year, I don't talk to for a year. I have people from my own chapter that are meeting friends here, and they're going to team up on events that you can team up. It's just the camaraderie … There's a lot of friendships that go back a long, long time.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
08-08-2025
- Los Angeles Times
National lifeguard championships roll into Huntington Beach
The United States Lifesaving Assn. National Lifeguard Championships have returned to Huntington State Beach for the first time since 2010. Surf City, in turn, was pumping out sizable waves Thursday, almost like an invitation or challenge to those visiting from around the country, depending on perspective. 'The conditions are pretty rough,' said Skip Prosser, USLA scoring director and a lifeguard in nearby Long Beach. 'I mean, the waves are probably 5 to 6 foot … There were a lot of wide open eyes and jaws dropping from the East Coast people. They're not used to this at all.' Still, the show has gone on at the competition, which is taking place on the beach between Beach Boulevard and Newland Street. First came the National Junior Lifeguard Championships on Wednesday, which had about 300 young competitors in a variety of races and skills. The National Lifeguard Championships, which Prosser said has 450 to 500 competitors, started Thursday and continues through Sunday. Bailey Noel of Delaware, attending the national competition with Sussex County Lifesaving, took first place in his men's surf race heat on Thursday morning. 'This surf is a little bit bigger, for sure, than what we're used to in Delaware,' said Noel, 38. 'But we all love the sport of surf lifesaving, and we train all year. This is just a little bit of fun. 'It does put things into perspective. If a person is out there and they need help, we have to be ready at a moment's notice, just go out there and help them. But we train for it all year, so we're ready.' Due to the conditions, the surfboat races were postponed a day — 'In the interest of safety, the officials said no,' Prosser said. Montana George, a lifeguard at Huntington State Beach, said she was looking forward to competing at what amounted to a home meet. The 22-year-old from Carson is representing the California State Lifeguard Assn., which has a sizable presence with more than 80 competitors at nationals. 'From what I was told from some of the older guys, we've never had surf this big at nationals before,' said George, who is competing in her third national championships and also competed in the Lifesaving World Championships in Australia last year. 'Having it at Huntington just makes everyone excited, I think … It's been a big summer in Huntington, but last week we had like half-a-foot waves. As much as I've had the advantage of being here all summer, training last week I had no surf to train in. It's super fun to see how fast the conditions can change. I think today or [Friday] is going to be the biggest day, and it's going to be a little bit smaller on Saturday.' The national championships will continue with beach course races on the sand, as well as water course and boat and ski course events. Prosser said the event was a culmination of all of the work the lifeguards have already put into prior competitions, as well as keeping in shape for their jobs on the beach. 'It's good, it's a time to see old friends,' he said. 'Every year I get to see people that I don't see for a year, I don't talk to for a year. I have people from my own chapter that are meeting friends here, and they're going to team up on events that you can team up. It's just the camaraderie … There's a lot of friendships that go back a long, long time.'
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
2 rafters tossed into river during Richland rescue. Fire district boat capsizes
Two men were rescued from the icy Yakima River on Monday afternoon after their blue raft was swept over and trapped in a small diversion dam in north Richland. The rescue took at least 45 minutes with a team of swimmers, divers and a crew on a rescue boat owned by Benton County Fire District 2 in Benton City. Then the rescue boat took on water and partially sank below Wanawish Dam near Horn Rapids. The boat and the raft remained stuck in the river Monday evening. Fire District 2 officials plan to remove their boat in the next two days. Yakima River rescue The rafters were working in an official capacity when they got into trouble and went over the dam, said Ben Shearer, Benton County District 4 public information officer. It's unclear if they were working for a public agency. One of the men on the raft managed to call 911 at about 11:45 a.m. Benton County Fire Captain Scott Hawley told the Tri-City Herald that it took multiple attempts to get the men to safety on a rescue boat. In the process, the men fell into the roiling water below the dam that diverts water into irrigation canals. One of the rafters was treated by an on-site medic for mild hypothermia. River temperatures this time of year average in the mid 50s. After the rafters were safe, crews set to work trying to pull the raft from the water. A crew member from Benton County Fire District 2 stands on a rescue boat near the Wanawish Dam on the Yakima River. But the Fire District 2 rescue boat with a crew member onboard got stuck at the base of the dam and was taking on water. After more than an hour, he was picked up by the Benton County Sheriff's boat. The Wanawish Dam is off Highway 240 near the Hanford nuclear site and near Highway 225. Diversion dams do not have sharp drop-offs into reservoirs but can pose serious hazards because they cause big undercurrents and can pull boats or swimmers under. Officials from Benton County Fire Districts 2 and 4, the Benton County Sheriff's Office, Richland Fire, Columbia Basin Dive Rescue and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife helped with the river rescue. A crew member was injured during the rescue and taken to a hospital. But it was unclear how serious the injuries are. In 2022, a Prosser man died when his raft went over the dam and he fell into the river.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Yahoo
Bishop McCort, Berlin have plenty of familiarity ahead of PIAA Championship
HERSHEY, Pa. (WTAJ) – The saying 'keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer' is fitting for the PIAA Class 2A Girls Basketball Championship between Berlin-Brothersvalley and Bishop McCort. Before the season, both teams scrimmaged each other but never could have envisioned facing each other to end the year in the Giant Center. 'I know what (Berlin head coach Rachel Prosser) likes to do, what she doesn't like to do, and she knows the same about us,' Crushers head coach John Hahn said. 'They're really good team for us to scrimmage to get us (ready) early and find out what our strengths and weaknesses are,' Prosser said. Saint Francis University announces transition from Division I to Division III athletics Berlin-Brothersvalley used that familiarity to defeat Bishop McCort by seven points back in December, which would make a win in 'Chocolate World' even sweeter for the Crushers. 'It's motivation,' Bishop McCort senior Cami Beppler said. 'It's like we already know them. They know us. So, it's just going to be a battle of who shows up that day and who's better.' 'Since we played them earlier in the season, we know some of their strengths and we will be able to take that knowledge and use it once we play them,' Berlin-Brothersvalley junior Madi Visinsky said. Both teams have improved marginally since their last matchup. The Mountaineers have gone undefeated since then, while the Crushers have a 23-3 record since that loss. 'They have good outside shooters by far, but they also can take it to the basket,' Prosser said. 'It makes it a tough matchup for anybody, which is why they have made it this far.' 'They're a tough team,' Bishop McCort senior Elle Berkebile said. 'They hustle a lot, and they'll show that Thursday, but so do we. So, it's just going to be a battle.' Bishop McCort is seeking its first state championship since 1985, while Berlin-Brothersvalley is looking to win its first since 2019. This is the first time that girls basketball teams from District V and District VI have matched up against each other in the PIAA Championship game. 'I'm just excited that it's Cambria County and Somerset County, that's great for this area,' Hahn said. 'A lot of people get lost on the team from (Philadelphia) and the WPIAL from Pittsburgh but girls' basketball in District VI is as good as anybody's basketball.' For whichever team brings a state title back to the area, you can expect the moment to be special to them. 'I'm very emotional, so I think I'd cry a lot, and I want that ring really badly,' Berkebile said with a smile. The game is set for Thursday at 12 p.m. WTAJ will have coverage of the game on-air and online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
