Longport wins Red Bull Surf and Rescue at Atlantic City's historic Steel Pier Watch video
ATLANTIC CITY -- It was a South Jersey sweep of the lifeguard tournament some call the Super Bowl of surf lifesaving.
Red Bull Surf and Rescue describes itself an elite lifeguarding competition exclusive to New Jersey beach patrols' that focuses on classic disciplines including swimming, sprinting, rescue board paddling and rowing lifeguard surfboats through the waves.
And 160 lifeguards - 40 teams of 3 male and one female competitors - from Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic and Cape May counties represented their hometown beach patrols before a big crowd alongside the famed Steel Pier in Atlantic City.
"This has got to be one of the best showcases for what ocean lifeguards and surf lifesaving sports is all about," said Bruckner Chase of Red Bull. "I've raced around the world and there is nothing like this. We've linked to the history, we've linked the culture and community, and we have let the best athletes show us what it's all about."
In the end, it was Tim Schwegman of Longport hustling up the beach less than 10 seconds ahead of Sven Peltonen of Brigantine for first place. Ventnor was third.
And with the victory, Longport took home a brand new personal watercraft tricked out with a rescue sled, valued at about $15,000.
"So Red Bull called and said they are bringing the Super Bowl of surf and rescue to Atlantic City," explained Randy Townsend, a Harvey Cedars lifeguard who is also a professional surfer.
The competition format featured four unique rounds. Round 1 consisted of a four-person 250-meter swim relay, with the top 28 teams making it through to the next round. Round 2, the paddleboard relay, required each member of each team to paddle a total of 450-meters through the gentle surf, around offshore buoys, and then back in. The top 16 teams moved on to Round 3, the sprint / row. Lining up on the beach, competitors positioned themselves for a two-man quarter mile run down the beach before sending off their other two teammates in surfboats for a 700 meter row around the apex buoy. The top eight teams advanced to the championship round.
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The final event was a medley of the first four rounds: a single swimmer followed by a paddler and then two competitors row the boat around the 700-meter course.
The first place team from Longport was Max Mittelman, John Tepper, Taylor Thy and Schwegman (row).
Brigantine finished second: Kip Emig, Grace Emig, Brandon McKenzie and Sven Teltonen. Ventnor City, represneted by David Funk, Greg Smith, Andrew Funk and Colleen Callahan placed third.
The defending champions from Sea Girt placed fourth. Harvey Cedars was fifth.
Other towns that sent competitors to Atlantic City were (north to south): Sea Bright, Asbury Park, Avon-by-the-Sea, Bradley Beach, Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Manasquan, Ocean Beach II, Lavallette, Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars, Surf City, Ship Bottom, Long Beach Township, Beach Haven, Brigantine, Atlantic City, Longport, Ventnor, Margate, Ocean City, North Wildwood, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Cape May and Cape May Point.
Andrew Mills may be reached at amills@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @AndyMills_NJ or Instagram @andrew_mills . Find NJ.com on Facebook.