San Diego Lifeguards exhibited their rescue skills at a spirited competition in Ocean Beach on Wednesday, Aug. 4 and the Northern District came out on top – and more importantly – won bragging rights for the next 12 months. The Lifeguard Service is divided into four geographic districts: the Southern District is Ocean Beach; the Central District is comprised of Mission and Pacific Beaches; the Northern District is made up of the La Jolla beaches; and the Boating Safety Unit, including Mission Bay, is considered the fourth District.
The Lifeguard Relays are a competition between the four districts within the San Diego Lifeguard Service and include a variety of events which demonstrate the different rescue techniques used in ocean rescue such as running, swimming, paddle boarding and landline rescue.
The lifeguard relays serve three general purposes:
– Motivation for lifeguards to fine tune their rescue skills and athleticism;
– Camaraderie among lifeguards; and
– An opportunity to showcase rescue techniques to the public.
The relays are named in honor of lifeguard and longtime Northern District team captain, Ronald B. Trenton. Ron was lost at sea while piloting his private plane from Catalina Island to San Diego in 1997.