Ocean City Beach Patrol second in six-race competition; Longport third
ATLANTIC CITY — The host Atlantic City Beach Patrol won the 2024 Atlantic City Lifeguard Classic Friday evening, July 19, at Albany Avenue beach. The Ocean City Beach Patrol secured a close second place and the Longport Beach Patrol was third.
The Atlantic City Classic has been a staple of the South Jersey lifeguard races for more than 20 years. Ten patrols from southern New Jersey competed including Brigantine, Lavalette, Margate, Harvey Cedars, Sea Girt, Ventnor and Ship Bottom. The lifeguards competed in six events: surf dash relay, doubles surfboat rescue, one mile doubles race, swim/paddle relay, doubles surfboat relay and singles row.
Conditions were far more tamer than earlier in the week during the Ocean City Beach Patrol Women’s Lifeguard Invitational. There was very little wind, leading to a mostly glassy and calm seas for the lifeguards. As the beginning drew near, excitement grew while the patrols prepared.
Thatcher Hamill, in his sixth year with the Ocean City Beach Patrol, was set to participate in doubles surfboat rescue and the doubles relay. The towering Hamill described his passion for the summer races and juggling lifeguarding with a full-time internship.
“I love this job, man. I’ve always been a surfer and have been coming down here in the summer since I was three,” Hamill said. “It can be hard to balance sometimes but the culture here is just so unique, I love it. It gets me hyped for events like these.”
Albany Avenue beach quickly filled with locals and tourists eager to watch the event. After a stirring rendition of the national anthem and a thorough explanation of the rules, the race was ready to begin.
The first race, the surf dash relay, required teams to run from a flag on the beach into the ocean, touch another flag positioned outside the breaking waves, and return to their starting flag, tagging their teammate. Building on their competitive momentum from earlier in the week, Ocean City jumped to an early lead and sped by the competition. They claimed first place, thanks to the quick feet of the OCBP’s Nick Bell, Kevin O’Sullivan, Connor Brennan and Lexi Santer.
Santer and three of her teammates – Chloe Care, Claudia Booth and Morgan Decosta – won the surf dash at the OCBP Women’s Invitational and before that at the Longport Women’s Lifeguard Invitational.
Lavalette was second followed by Atlantic City, Sea Girt and Longport.
The second race, the doubles surfboat rescue, consisted of a pair rowing their boat out to a flag positioned about 300 meters in the sea. They had to round the flag, jump in the water and grab a 25-pound bag, jump back into the boat and row back.
While the race may have begun close it did not stay that way. Atlantic City’s Kyle Deroo and Tom Muskett, hearing the cheers of the crowd, powered into first place early on and maintained their lead to finish first and secure victory. Afterwards, an exhausted Muskett shared his feelings on the tone-setting win.
“We do rescues all the time in Atlantic City so this wasn’t anything different. We just got out there and rowed fast,” Muskett said, “just like a normal work day for us.”
Brigantine was second followed by Ventnor, Ocean City (Hamill and Bryan Pasternak) and Margate.
The third event, the one-mile doubles race, also began with two lifeguards teaming up and having the grueling test to endure a mile row out to sea and back. Once again Atlantic City showcased its rowing prowess as Vince Granese and Nick Guidara powered through the surf and into victory.
Brigantine placed second with Margate third, Longport fourth and Ventnor fifth.
The fourth race was the swim/paddle relay with defending champion Ocean City. Keeping tradition, they secured first place again thanks to the team of Dylan Dewitt, Jacob Tester, Frank Christy and Andrew Shaw. Lavalette was second, Atlantic City third, Sea Girt fourth and Harvey Cedars fifth.
The fifth race, the doubles surfboat relay, featured two men and two women from each team to compete in a rowing relay. While the event began with an early Atlantic City lead, Margate and Longport soon closed the gap. As fatigue set in for Margate and Atlantic City, Longport powered through to secure first place.
Atlantic City placed second and Ocean City placed third with Chloe Malone and Ellis Kirk and Hamill and Santer. Margate came in with a close fourth and Brigantine finished fifth.
The final event, the singles sprint row, required each beach patrol to send one lifeguard out in a rowboat. The rowers had to swiftly launch their boats and race to a flag positioned far out in the water. This thrilling event was a crucial deciding factor for the overall winner of the day’s competition.
Ocean City’s Taylor Smith surged into an early lead, but as the teams rounded the flags at the halfway point, both Atlantic City and Brigantine began to close the gap. As the boats came gliding towards shore, it was neck and neck between Atlantic City and Ocean City. However, Longport’s Mike McGrath caught a wave and suddenly surpassed them both for the win. Atlantic City’s Vince Granese finished second and Smith was third.
In the end, Atlantic City won two of the six events and placed second in two more, finishing with a combined 24 points. Ocean City was second overall, winning two events and scoring 18 points. Longport’s late-stage surge earned them two event victories, securing third place with 13 points. Brigantine was fourth with 10 points while Margate and Lavalette both scored 8 points, tying for fifth.
– STORY by EDDIE D’AMICO/For the Sentinel
– PHOTOS by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
