Share: 

48th Lifeguard Olympics light up Rehoboth Beach

14 teams compete on land and sea
Trip Gannon, a lifeguard with the Dewey Beach Patrol and a wrestler at Cape, runs ashore at the 48th annual Lifeguard Olympics July 24 in Rehoboth Beach. BILL SHULL PHOTOS
Bill Shull
August 1, 2025

The 48th annual Lifeguard Olympics brought hundreds of people to Rehoboth Beach for an evening of competition July 24.

The air was calm, the ocean a bit choppy, and the competition was fierce.

A total of 12 teams from Lewes to Ocean City, Md., squared off in 10 different events for bragging rights at the beach.

The event was held on the beach at Baltimore Avenue, in the shadow of the new Rehoboth Beach Patrol headquarters.

After some quick rearranging of the schedule, the night kicked off with the men’s and women’s one-mile run. Declan Burke of Middlesex Beach Patrol won the men’s race. Maura Lenhart of Delaware State Parks Beach Patrol took the women’s race.

The night continued from there with swimming, running and paddling competitions.

The Lifeguard Olympics wrapped up with the beach flags and tug-of-war finale, under the lights.

Delaware State Parks came in first, overall, with 106 total points. Bethany Beach was second was 73 points. Rehoboth Beach was third with 60 points.

 

Competitors in the men’s one-mile run head up the beach.
Declan Burke of Middlesex Beach Patrol finishes first in the men’s one-mile run.
Katie Zgorski, left, of Ocean City Beach Patrol and Maura Lenhart of Delaware State Parks Beach Patrol lead the pack in the women’s one-mile run.
Maura Lenhart of Delaware State Parks Beach Patrol crosses the finish line first in the women’s one-mile run.
Derek Shockro, Rehoboth Beach Patrol chief, gives instructions to the lifeguards who were competing in the evening’s events.
Shane Lally carries the flag for Rehoboth Beach Patrol.
Competitors paddle out at the start of one of the events.
Elizabeth Brennan of Rehoboth Beach Patrol rides a wave during a paddleboard competition.
Will Shoemaker of Rehoboth Beach Patrol gets encouragement during the landline competition. Shown behind Shoemaker are (l-r) Sgt. Jodi Johnson, Konner Knarr and Lt. Rawley Florax.
Hailey Moore of Delaware State Parks Beach Patrol helps her team in the landline competition.
Caitlin Smith of Bethany Beach Patrol pulls hard in the landline competition.
Elizabeth Fry of Delaware State Parks Beach Patrol crosses the finish line.
The women’s one-mile run kicks off on the beach near Baltimore Avenue.
The men’s half-mile swim gets underway.
Competitors in the men’s run-swim-run.
Representing Delaware State Parks Beach Patrol are (l-r) Madeline McTeer, Mason Potts, Bailey Noel and Elizabeth Fry.
Lifeguards from Fenwick Island recover after one of the grueling events.
As the sun sets, the ironman medley relay team event have lifeguards swimming, running and paddling.
Competitors are in the starting position for the men’s beach flag race.
Jacob Madden of Lewes Beach Patrol waits for the start of the beach flags competition.
Competitors slide into the sand at the end of a heat in the men’s beach flags event.

Most Popular

Bill Shull has been covering Lewes for the Cape Gazette since 2023. He comes to the world of print journalism after 40 years in TV news. Bill has worked in his hometown of Philadelphia, as well as Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He came to Lewes in 2014 to help launch WRDE-TV. Bill served as WRDE’s news director for more than eight years, working in Lewes and Milton. He is a 1986 graduate of Penn State University. Bill is an avid aviation and wildlife photographer, and a big Penn State football, Eagles, Phillies and PGA Tour golf fan. Bill, his wife Jill and their rescue cat, Lucky, live in Rehoboth Beach.

Most Popular