SAN DIEGO — Known as some of the best ocean swimmers in the world, San Diego lifeguards on Thursday competed in the 66th annual Ron Trenton Memorial Lifeguard Relays.
Parents like John and Susan Furtak cheered from the shoreline for their 18-year-old daughter Jordan, who is on the boating safety unit and a Mission Bay lifeguard.
“Took her surfing, I think she was three-years-old, when I first got her on a board and got most of her confidence through the junior,” said John Furtak.
This is Jordan’s first year lifeguarding. She joined junior lifeguards at the age of nine and admired the relay competition.
“It was super fun. Everyone did a really great job – good, friendly competition,” she said.
This was also Nate Swank’s first year competing, too.
“This is my rookie year in San Diego. I am pretty stoked,” he said.
His captain is Kyle Gantz, who said Swank would drive down from Oceanside for practice.
“This is my sixth year with relays, and this is by far the most amazing group of guys and girls I could ever ask for,” he said.
Lifeguards from Ocean Beach, Pacific and Mission Beach, Mission Bay and La Jolla competed in the 12-leg relay.
It was a tight race between Ocean Beach and La Jolla, but it was northern who took back the champions trophy from central.
“Amazing experience. Great Coach. Amazing team. We all love each other,” said Jimmy Lebeau, northern lifeguard.
The relay is named after the late Ron Trenton who was lost at sea while piloting his private from Catalina to San Diego in 1997.