Folly Lifeguards excell at Regional competition in Jacksonville, prepare for Nationals
By Lorne Chambers | Editor
Last month lifeguards from Folly Beach, along with others from around Kiawah and Isle of Palms, represented Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) at the South Atlantic Lifesaving Association Regional Lifeguard Competition in Jacksonville Beach, Fla.
The Charleston team really shined, coming in second overall, the highest they have ever placed at this event. “We are very proud to have brought back the 2nd place trophy to Charleston for the first time ever,” said CCPRC Special Events Coordinator Luke Meier. The Charleston team even took first place in several events, including men’s and women’s Board Rescue Race and Landline, which Meier described as “one of the most grueling events of the two-day long competition.”
In the Landline competition, a rescuer swims out to a victim pulling a rope and buoy. The swimmer then signals back to the beach and two people on land will begin pulling the rope over their shoulder up the beach until the victim is back on land where they all run through the finish line together.
“Historically Charleston County has struggled in this event, but this year, veterans Noah Butler and Steve Fernandez along with rookie, Jake Peller, crushed the competition,” said Nadia Klincewicz, Folly Beach lifeguard supervisor for CCPRC. “This being the first event of the competition really set the tone for the rest of the week, proving that we are better and stronger than years past.”
In addition to the great team performance, Folly Beach lifeguard Hannah Craig took first place in the Run, Swim, Run competition.
Klincewicz says she has never been more proud of a group of guards than she was this year. “I believe the team did so well this year because of the incredible younger talent that joined us,” she said. “Charleston county lifeguards have always been scattered with pretty elite athletes, however this year brought a whole new wave of rookies that meshed perfectly with the highly skilled veterans to fill all the gaps we needed for success.”
This year’s performance raises the bar for future guards, especially when it comes to training, said Klincewicz. “Charleston County lifeguards, whether they participate in competition or not, are expected to fulfill extremely rigorous weekly training requirements. We hope now with our strengthening competition team, our entire crew will feel more inclined to train with purpose, further than just being rescue ready; to prove that not only are we good at what we do, but we are the best at what we do,” she said.
“I think this performance should really reinforce the public’s confidence in our local beach lifeguards,” added Meier. “In addition to being very well trained medically we have proven to be among the best ocean rescue athletes in the South Atlantic region.”
Next month, several CCPRC lifeguards will compete at the 2017 United States Lifesaving Association’s National Lifeguard Championships in Daytona Beach, Fla.
