Breckenridge, Colo. pushed through to win the July Summer Lifeguard Challenge, with Josh Groth and Bailey Baldwin securing top honors (videos below). Appalachian State University, N.C. (2015 winner) came in second place, followed by a fierce three-way tie for third by Temecula Calif. teams Purple, Green and Gold. Honorable mentions go to Temecula’s Team Blue and City of Apache Junction, Ariz.
Proper execution of the rescue/ring buoy seemed the most challenging skill. Both ring buoy and rope bundle must be thrown at the same time to prevent the rescuer’s hand from becoming entangled. Scores also suffered if the rope bundle became a knot when deployed or the rescuer stepped in the rope bundle during deployment.
The rescue tube assist provided some difficulty to rescuers. It was observed that if the challenge was filmed in shallow water, some rescuers let go of the wall as they pulled in the victim.
