The Junior Lifeguards All Star Team of six runners, six paddlers and six swimmers chosen from the combined morning and afternoon group of ‘C’ (ages 9-11 years) from Zuma Beach captured the illustrious Taplin Relay Championship in Playa del Rey on Aug. 3.
The relay began with a soft sand sprint, with each of the six runners handing off a baton. The last runner tags the first paddler, who navigates a paddleboard through the surf around three buoys and back in through the waves, handing the board to the next paddler. The relay is complete when each of the six swimmers has raced through the waves and around the buoys, running back up the beach to tag their team member.
Hannah Sartorius, Zuma’s anchor swimmer, passed the top swimmers, raced up the beach, and through the finish chute for Zuma’s first win in more than 15 years.
During the five-week program, the junior lifeguards learned ocean swimming and rescue techniques, CPR, surfing and general fitness conditioning.
Many of the junior lifeguards continue through the program until, at age 18, they take the LACO Fire Department Lifeguard test and academy, and become ocean lifeguards.
The teams’ instructor is Shari Latta.