2011 United States Lifeguard Association National Tournament

Monmouth County Lifeguards take 2nd in lifeguard national tournament Cape May New Jersey.

The Tatler beach reporter was also their and her take was Not a bad job by our lifeguards as LA County Guards work 365 days a year and get paid for training  our guards work May till September and train on their own hours in most New Jersey Towns. She also reported that our guards are not civil servants and most have full time winter jobs where LA County are all full time civil servants and its there only job.
reprinted from the Asbury Park Press.

Los Angeles captures national title

for great photos visit the Asbury Park Press http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=B3&Date=20110806&Category=MULTIMEDIA02&ArtNo=308060088&Ref=PH

Written by

David Biggy | Staff Writer

• Filed Under
• Sports

CAPE MAY — With just 10 events left to the 41st United States Lifesaving Association National Lifeguard Championships, the race for first place was a tight one.
Ultimately, Los Angeles County was just a bit better this time around and won its 25th straight national title.
Los Angeles County won with 679 points, followed by Monmouth with 629.25 points, and Sussex County, Del., finished third with 197.75. South Jersey was fourth with 180.5 points. Ocean County’s squad placed 10th with 43.25 points.
“We gave it our best shot and we competed our hearts out, but LA’s really tough,” said Monmouth County captain Jim Simonelli. “They stepped it up when they had to and we just fell short.”
With the last 10 events coming up, Monmouth led the team standings by 35.5 points, but Los Angeles County steadily cut into the lead.
In the American Ironman, Matt Nunnally and Ryan Matthews fired up the Monmouth County contingent when they battled not only a world-class field but a stiff easterly wind and choppy water to capture first- (12) and second-place (10) points.
Following the paddle and swim legs of the event, Nunnally entered the rowing portion in third but quickly grabbed the lead during the first 100 yards of the row and never looked back.
“I knew if I was near the front after the first two legs, I’d be in good shape,” Nunnally said. “I’ve won a lot of American Ironman events on the row, and that’s right where I wanted to be.”
After Nunnally cruised to the national title, Matthews outran South Jersey’s John Molloy on the final run between the flags on the beach to grab second. Matthews was in sixth heading into the row.
“I row a lot so I was confident going into the row,” Matthews said. “When I reached the last buoy, I just had to dig down and give it an extra push. That’s when all the training kicked in.”
In the American Ironwoman, Monmouth’s Annie Fittin swiped fifth place amid a slew of Los Angeles County competitors.
But Los Angeles County really did damage during the open Surf Ski events, picking up dozens of points while Monmouth barely clung to its lead. Connor Jaeger and Philip Forrester kept things close with second- and sixth-place finishes in the Rub-Swim-Run.Michelle Davidson and Annie Fittin then helped keep Monmouth near the top with a second-place finish in the women’s Paddle Rescue.“I just had to paddle my butt off and not let Annie or the team down,” said Davidson, the 41-year-old captain in Ocean Grove. “At this point, you do the best you can in the events that are left and give it all you've got.”
Jaeger and Matthews followed up with a big win in the men’s Paddle Rescue, edging Los Angeles County right at the end when Matthews made the call to jump off the board in the shorebreak and run to a title.
“I usually make the call when to make that move,” Matthews said. “But we really got lucky.”
There was no such luck in the Tapin Relay – the last two events of the tournament – as Los Angeles County took first and third in the women’s division and then second and third in the men’s division to seal its victory.
“The surf ski events killed us,” Simonelli said. “In the swimming and rowing we beat them up, but they killed us in any event with skis. That was the difference.”