LA County Wins USLA National Championship In Hermosa Beach

HERMOSA BEACH, CA — The Los Angeles County Surf Life Saving Association won the 2022 Jersey Mike's USLA National Championship for the 46th time in Hermosa Beach.

The team beat out The California State Lifeguard Association in the overall team competition with almost 1,800 points, making this year 33 out of 35 years that the competition has taken place.

“We have a very deep roster and the very talented athletes on the L.A. County Surf Lifesaving Association team battled hard every day and consistently brought their ‘A’ game,” said Jay Butki, President of the L.A. County Surf Lifesaving Association.

The three-day competition, which took place on Aug. 11 through 13, is the largest annual ocean lifeguard competition and included events like rescue races, ocean swims, beach flags, Ironman events, Taplin Relay, surf ski and surf boat races.

LA County had three athletes finish in the Open Women's individual competition:

• Kelsey Cummings - second place
• Jenna Solberg - fourth place
• Coral Kemp - fifth place

There were also two LA County winners in the Open Men's individual competition:

• Brian Murphy - second place
• Jake Miller- third place

Other LA County winners include:

• Brian Murphy and Kelsey Cummings - first place in the Ironman and Ironwoman competitions
• Holly Maine and Kelsey Cummings - first place in the women's board rescue competition
• Brain Murphy and Jake Miller - third place in the men's board rescue competition
• Annalena Siering, Chris Javens - Coral Kemp and Malcolm Reid in the mixed landline rescue competition
• Brian Murphy, Chris Javens, Stephen Blaauw and Tim Burdiak - first place in the men's Taplin Relay
• Annalena Siering, Bella Siering, Jenna Solberg and Katelyn Nimsky - first place in the women's Taplin Relay

“The true winners are the beachgoers — members of the public — who visit the beaches protected by these competitor lifeguards, knowing that they are being watched by some of the finest ocean lifeguards in the nation who had their skills, endurance and fitness tested in this highly competitive national level event," Butki said. "We look forward to having our team’s mettle tested again by all of the formidable competitors next year in Virginia Beach, Va.”

Some members of LA County's team were also selected to represent the US in the World Lifesaving Championships in Riccione, Italy on Sept. 21, 2022.