Junior Lifeguards Paddle to Victory

About 400 kids competed in the annual Junior Lifeguard Paddleboard Championships hosted by Hennessey's Paddleboard Racing on Sunday in Redondo Beach.

The championships featured four divisions—AA, A, B and C—per gender and two heats for each of the latter two divisions. The competitors in the AA and A divisions paddled a one-mile loop on 9-foot J.G. soft boards, while the competitors in the B and C divisions paddled a half-mile loop on the same boards.

"[The kids] have so much fun because we give them medals and shirts and stuff … the kids are thrilled doing it," said Paul Hennessey, founder of Hennessey's Paddleboard Racing.

The top three finishers in each heat/division received trophies. All competitors received medals.

Complete Junior Lifeguard Paddleboard Championships Results

Girls, Division AA

1. Maura Silka
2. Coertunay Krause
3. Ailidh Sheldon

Boys, Division AA

1. Toby Contarsy
2. Benji Garcia
3. Matthew Harmatz

Girls, Division A

1. Kira Makuta
2. Rachel Tominaga
3. Frankie Seely

Boys, Division A

1. Chandler Jones
2. Tanner Milford
3. Derrick Compas

Girls, Division B, Heat No. 1

1. Emma Noble
2. Anika Gilboy
3. Serafina King

Girls, Division B, Heat No. 2

1. Claire Harmatz
2. Zoe Colomer
3. Candy Shim

Boys, Division B, Heat No. 1

1. Tyler Sherman
2. Zachary Senator
3. Ian Lebash

Boys, Division B, Heat No. 2

1. Ryan Snaguski
2. Hudson Ritchie
3. Dylan Hyman

Girls, Division C, Heat No. 1

1. Audrey Steen
2. Saskia-Ann Wong-Smith
3. Solee Scarlet

Girls, Division C, Heat No. 2

1. Eliza Davis
2. Brooke Geske
3. Namia Porter

Boys, Division C, Heat No. 1

1. Kyle Crist
2. Kyle Thorne
3. Nico Colomer

Boys, Division C, Heat No. 2

1. Kian Brouwer
2. Matt Thorne
3. Nick Wapner