OGUNQUIT, Maine — The Hampton Beach lifeguards showcased their dominance once again by clinching first place at the Northeastern Lifesaving Competition Thursday, marking their second victory in about a week.
Patrick Murphy, chief of the Hampton Beach lifeguards, said the win represents their hard work. The Hampton Beach lifeguards also won the New England Lifesaving Competition on their home turf Aug. 1.
“At the end of the day, you have to earn it, it’s not given to you,” he said. “At every event, you got to go out … and be as best as you can.”
Around 100 lifeguards from 10 different teams gathered at Ogunquit Beach for the Northeastern Lifesaving Competition on Thursday. They competed in 20 events, including swimming relay, sprint races and mock rescues, showcasing their fitness level and lifesaving skills. Teams earn points based on their placement for each event.
Aside from Hampton and Ogunquit, other participating teams include Rye, Nauset, Massachusetts, and Nova Scotia, Canada. Hampton led the competition with 244 points, Salisbury, Massachusetts, second with 65 points and Ogunquit third with 62 points.
Hampton Beach lifeguards Hannah Pratt, Claire Rademacher, and Alexander Mavrikis attribute their top performance to a combination of daily training, competitive spirit, and mutual trust.
“It’s like a team environment, and when you can rely on your teammates, you know that you can execute really well,” said Rademacher.
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Lifeguarding: Not just a ‘sitting in a chair and tan’ job
Adam Legg, captain of the Ogunquit lifeguards, said it takes a lot of hard work to be a lifeguard, noting the job is more than “sitting in a chair and tan.”
“It’s obviously part of the job, but we do have to be ready at a moment's notice,” he said. “I think today’s the day that we get to showcase that we’re not just sitting there, we actually do have all the skills … and that we are very good at our jobs.”
Conor Smart, an Ogunquit lifeguard, panted as he ran the last few meters across the shore to finish the Iron Guard race, taking a few minutes afterward to catch his breath. Smart, who competed in multiple events, said the Iron Guard was physically the hardest of them all.
“It’s sort of like a triathlon,” he explained. “It’s a run, and then you get in the water and swim around the buoys (and to shore). Then you run, grab your paddle board and paddle around (the buoys and to shore), and then you run to the finish line. It’s three different disciplines you have to be good at.”
Luke Cloutier, a fellow Ogunquit lifeguard, said working out and staying fit is a critical part of the job.
“We show up at 9 a.m., and we do a workout from 9 to 10 a.m.,” he explained. “That workout could be anything from running, swimming, paddling or all of it, they’re usually super competitive, and that’s my favorite part of it – you’re trying to beat people around you and push each other.”
This requirement doesn’t only apply to the Ogunquit lifeguards but to rescuers from other beaches as well.
For the team at Nauset Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, lifeguard Sydney Lanxon said their intensive daily training includes two workouts in the morning and being “constantly drilled.”
"We have off-guard duties or head guards, or someone from the beach staff disguises themselves and pretends to drown or presents symptoms, asking us how we would react," she said. "We’re always being tested on our knowledge and response to different situations."
Lanxon added one of the difficult parts of the job may people may not realize is the constant need to be attentive. She noted that Nauset Beach is infamous for having great white sharks.
“Not only are we watching the water to keep people safe, but you’re also acting preventatively, enforcing rules around, like we can’t allow kites or launching boats on the beach, but also spotting for sharks and answering questions and just being able to multitask and keep your attention on the water,” she added.
However, Lanxon joked that getting to be in the water every day and being paid to workout is a major plus to the job.
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Lifeguarding contest fosters camaraderie among guards
Legg, captain of the Ogunquit lifeguards, said this type of event provides more than healthy competition between rescuers. It's also a way for them to build camaraderie.
“The biggest thing for me is just seeing everyone talk and hang out with each other,” he added. “We don’t get to see each other a lot because we’re always on our own beaches, so the best thing is just meeting new people and making new friends.”
For Aidan MacDonald, a lifeguard from Nova Scotia, Canada, the nine-and-a-half-hour drive to Ogunquit was well worth it, citing her excitement not only to compete but also to visit many different beaches and learn new things.
She won the two-mile run in the contest.
MacDonald said getting to work outdoors and being in the water to do a “public service” job is very rewarding, especially in a community where she grew up.
“I just love meeting other lifeguards and learning about the different beaches and how we’re all super similar,” she said. “Everyone's super hyped for each other, it’s just a really positive energy.”
