Rehoboth Beach Patrol heads to Red Bull Surf and Rescue competition
Four Rehoboth Beach Patrol lifeguards will compete in the fourth annual Mid-Atlantic Red Bull Surf and Rescue in Atlantic City, N.J., Tuesday, July 17.
With 50 beach patrol teams vying for the crown as the top beach patrol on the East Coast, it’ll be a tough test of athleticism and skill for the Rehoboth lifeguards – David Brady, Andrew Boyle, Xander Geiersbach and Lyndsay Taddei.
Geiersbach was named the 2017 Rehoboth Beach Patrol Rookie of the Year, while Brady has experience competing in the Red Bull Surf and Rescue.
All eligible teams send four lifeguards with at least one female athlete who are current members of the patrol they represent, with an exception of one alumnus per squad.
Described as the Super Bowl of lifeguard competitions of the East Coast, the Red Bull Surf and Rescue features some of the most elite athletes from Long Island to Virginia Beach.
The competition demands the usual aspects of lifeguarding, with sprinting, swimming and paddle boarding races set out in a grueling and quick format, something for which Capt. Kent Buckson says the lifeguards are plenty prepared.
“It’s the same stuff we do every day – a lot of running, swimming, paddle boarding,” Buckson said. “We do that on a daily basis, so it carries over to what they do in the competition.”
Brady, a athlete in high school, said his days playing sports have helped him get into the shape necessary for such a tasking contest.
These athletes will have a great scene to shine bright at.
“It’s a great venue in Atlantic City with all the glitter and lights of the casino area,” said Buckson, who’s been the captain since 2000. “They’re young guys. They’re my young guns, and they’re going to have a good time socializing with other beach patrols.”
Brady, who competed in last year’s competition as well, said he’s excited to get to know the other beach patrols as much as the actual games themselves.
Last summer, the Rehoboth Beach Patrol comprised A.J. and David Brady, Macey Nitchie and Cody Quig. They were eliminated in the first of four rounds, placing 33rd out of 47 squads.
This year, the lifeguards will compete in at least two rounds – a change from last year. The Red Bull Surf and Rescue press release specified the different rounds as follows:
“Round 1 features all 50 teams in a 250-meter box course Surf Swim Relay. The top 25 teams advance to the Round 2 A Pool with the bottom 25 teams advancing to the Round 2 B pool. Round 2 will challenge the teams to a 500-meter apex Paddleboard Relay with the top 14 teams from Pool A and the top 2 teams from Pool B advancing to Round 3. Sixteen teams will start Round 3’s Run/Run/Surf Swim/Paddleboard Relay with the top 8 teams moving on to the final Championship Round. In this final round, the remaining teams will complete the unique Red Bull Rescue format comprised of a grueling double rescue scenario of a Paddle Pick-up and Swim Rescue with all four team members crossing the line together to claim the 2018 Red Bull Surf + Rescue title.”
The competition kicks off Tuesday, July 17, at a new venue directly in front of Bungalow Beach, just over a week before the Rehoboth Beach Patrol Olympics, which is hosted Thursday, July 26.
