Smith Point Wins – 2019 “Joe W. Dooley” Long Island Lifeguard Championship

Photo Credit: Nikole Pikulik

On Monday, July 29th, lifeguards from across Long Island came together for a day of intense competition to see who is the best on the Island. Many times the competition resembles the USLA National Lifeguard Championships, as year after year, the same individuals wind up competing for the same title at the national level.

The annual Joseph W. Dooley Long Island Lifeguard Championship is comprised of eight events. This year, Smith Point hosted seven teams: East Hampton Town, Jones Beach, Long Beach, Smith Point, Westhampton, Town of Islip and Town of Hempstead. Each team is made up of twelve competitors. All eight events are exciting to watch, local favorite is always landline (standard Smith Point rescue) and beach flags.

Jones Beach and Long Beach Lifeguards came out of the gate super fast, dominating the distance swim. Smith Point, not to be outmatched won the next two events, 2K and Double Yoke Rescue. East Hampton and Jones Beach not too far behind scoring valuable points throughout the tournament. The scoreboard changed leadership 5 times! In the end, Smith Point Lifeguards solidified their 2019 L. I. Lifeguard Championship by winning 4 x 100 Soft Sand Relay and Beach Flags. It was a great day filled with excitement and great education in lifesaving skills for Suffolk County Patrons.

Halifax Insurance Partners’ Long Distance Swim

Consists of an approximately 500 meter individual swim. A maximum of three (3) entrants per team can compete and all count toward team event score. Swimmers start from the beach and swim approximately 250 meters from shore and return to the coastline. The race will conclude with a 20 meter run across a designated finish line.

1st Place Long Beach and Jones Beach; 3rd Place East Hampton; 4th Place Smith Point; 5th Place West Hampton; 6th Place Town of Islip; 7th Place Town of Hempstead

2K Beach Run

A maximum of three (3) entrants per team can compete and all count toward team event score. Runners will race one mile down the beach to a flag about which they turn clockwise and proceed back to the starting point where they will finish. The Start/Finish and turn around the flag are located in the soft sand.

1st Place Smith Point; 2nd Place Long Beach; 3rd Place Town of Islip; 4th Place East Hampton; 5th Place Jones Beach; 6th Place Town of Hempstead and West Hampton

Global Surf Industries’ Double Yoke (Three guard rescue)

Two rescuers, one beach control, and one victim make up a team. Victim will be placed approximately 100 meters from shore, adjacent to a marker buoy. The rescuers will swim to the victim with a standard floatation device and line. They will proceed to secure the victim in a triangular hookup (each rescuer must be in contact with the victim and the rescue line) and then the rescuers and victim will be pulled to shore by the beach control. All competitors must cross the plane of the finish line simultaneously, carrying the victim. No pre-made loops for facilitating the pull are allowed.

1st Place Smith Point; 2nd Place Long Beach; 3rd Place Jones Beach; 4th Place Town of Islip; 5th Place West Hampton; 6th Place East Hampton, 7th Place Town of Hempstead

Rescue Board Relay

There are four competitors per relay team. Each competitor will paddle approximately 100 meters out to their appropriate buoy, turn clockwise around the buoy, and return to shore. Competitors must exchange rescue boards1 behind a designated starting line and round their flag on the beach in a clockwise direction.

1st Place East Hampton; 2nd Town of Hempstead; 3rd Place Long Beach; 4th Place Jones Beach; 5th Place Town of Islip; 6th Place Smith Point; 7th Place West Hampton

Landline

Two beach controls, one swimmer, and one victim per rescue team. Victim will be placed at a marker buoy approximately 100 meters from shore. The swimmer will swim a rescue line from a land start to the victim. The rescuer must then secure the victim and maintain control of the victim during the entire pull by the beach control. The rules and structure of this event’s finish are identical to those described in the three-man rescue.

1st Place Jones Beach; 2nd Place Smith Point, 3rd Long Beach; 4th Place East Hampton, 5th Place West Hampton, 6th Place Town of Hempstead, 7th Place Town of Islip

CrossFit Undertow 4 X 100 Soft Sand Relay

Four competitors will run a shuttle relay 100 meters straight down the beach where they will hand off a baton to the next runner. The handoff of the baton will start the next runner. All competitors must stay in assigned lanes.

1st Place Smith Point; 2nd Place East Hampton; 3rd Place West Hampton; 4th Place Town of Hempstead; 5th Place Long Beach; 6th Place Town of Islip, 7th Place Jones Beach

Charlie Lydecker and Family’s Run – Swim – Run Relay

There are four competitors per relay team. Each will follow a course consisting of approximately 200-meter run, a 150-meter swim, and a 200-meter run back to the starting area. A hand touch will start the next relay member.

1st Place Jones Beach; 2nd Place East Hampton; 3rd Place Long Beach; 4th Place Smith Point; 5th Place Town of Islip; 6th Place West Hampton; 7th Place Town of Hempstead

Handy Pantry’s Beach Flags

A maximum of three entrants per team can compete. USLA rules apply. The event will consist of three preliminary heats and one final heat. The three victorious competitors from each of the preliminary heats will advance to the final. All three will count toward team score.

1st Place Smith Point; 2nd Place Long Beach; 3rd Place Town of Hempstead; 4th Place West Hampton; 5th Place East Hampton; 6th Place Jones Beach; 7th Place Town of Islip

Total Overall Score: