Rehoboth to host USLA regionals at Tower Beach July 10
The Rehoboth Beach Patrol will host the United States Lifesaving Association’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Lifesaving Championships starting at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 10. Due to construction of Rehoboth’s beach patrol headquarters at Baltimore Avenue, the venue for this year’s competition will be at Towers Beach in Delaware Seashore State Park, off Route 1 south of Dewey Beach.
This will be the 28th consecutive year that Rehoboth has hosted this event, which showcases the skills necessary to be an ocean lifeguard. The public is welcome to observe the competitions.
Some 300 lifeguards representing squads from New York to Virginia will compete for the opportunity to qualify for the national championships.
“We are excited to host the 43rd annual lifesaving championships, just as we have for more than 25 years,” said RBP Capt. Jeff Giles. “We’re looking forward to an expanded competition with additional events. The day is filled with action-packed competition that can’t be seen in any other forum.”
Events include the 90-meter sprint, 2K beach run, 4-by-90 soft-sand beach relay, 400-meter surf swim, swimmer rescue race, landline rescue race, paddleboard rescue race, run-swim-run, surf dash and beach flags. In addition, surf skis and board events, which traditionally have been held in New Jersey, will be held in Delaware for the first time this year.
“The level of local and regional talent competing will put on a show not to be missed,” said Sophia Gulotti, a fifth-year Rehoboth Beach Patrol guard. “We performed well last year, and everyone is excited to see who has what it takes to win a championship and qualify for the nationals in South Padre Island, Texas.”
The U.S. Lifesaving Association is a nonprofit professional association of beach lifeguards and open-water rescuers. The USLA works to reduce the incidence of death and injury in the aquatic environment through public education, national lifesaving standards, training programs and promotion of high levels of lifeguard readiness. For details, go to usla.org.
