Local Lifeguards, Junior Guards Make Solid Showing at National Championships

Santa Barbara area lifeguards won medals at the U.S. Lifesaving Association National Lifeguard and Junior Lifeguard Championships in Virginia Beach, Va., last week.

Santa Barbara City lifeguards Luc Deering and Roman Higgins, County guards Charlie Franzen and Leighton Bell and City junior lifeguards Noah and Wyatt Warkentin competed in several events at the four-day competition.

Higgins, who also is a California State Lifeguard, finished in second place in the Open Division Board Relay Race. He took first place in the 16-18 age-group Board Race, second in the Surf Ski and third in Beach Flags.

Doering took a pair of silver medals in the 16-18 Board Race and Board Rescue events.

Franzen won gold in the 16-18 Surf Ski competition.

Bell competed in the Open women’s surf ski, surf race, run-swim-run, rescue race, board race and Ironwoman events.

The three local lifeguards also got an invite to be on the USLA’s Youth Team that will be competing at the International Surf Rescue Challenge in South Padre Island, Texas, Sept. 17-24. The event features teams from the USA, Canada, Japan and South Africa.

For the Junior Lifeguards competition at Virginia Beach, Noah Wyatt was a top-five finisher in four of five events in the A Group (ages 14-15).

His younger brother Wyatt Warkentin won four of five events in the C Group (Distance Swim, Ironguard, Run/Swim/Run and Surf Team).

Here are the results of the local lifeguards.

U19 (16-18)

Board Race

1^st – Roman Higgins – City of Santa Barbara & CA State Lifeguard

2^nd – Luc Doering – City of Santa Barbara Lifeguard

9^th – Charlie Franzen – SB County Lifeguard

Surf Ski

1^st – Charlie Franzen – SB County Lifeguard

2^nd – Roman Higgins – City of Santa Barbara & CA State Lifeguard

Board Rescue

2^nd – Luc Doering – City of Santa Barbara Lifeguard

2^nd – Roman Higgins – City of Santa Barbara & CA State Lifeguard

8^th – Charlie Franzen – SB County Lifeguard 

Beach Flags

3^rd – Roman Higgins – City of Santa Barbara & CA State Lifeguard  

JUNIOR LIFEGUARDS

A-Group (14-15)

Board Race

7^th – Noah Warkentin – City of Santa Barbara Junior Lifeguard

Run/Swim/Run

4^th – Noah Warkentin – City of Santa Barbara Junior Lifeguard

Distance Swim

4th – Noah Warkentin – City of Santa Barbara Junior Lifeguard

Ironguard

5^th – Noah Warkentin – City of Santa Barbara Junior Lifeguard

Surf Team

4^th – Noah Warkentin – City of Santa Barbara Junior Lifeguard 

C-Group

Beach Flags

4^th – Wyatt Warkentin

Distance Swim

1^st – Wyatt Warkentin – City of Santa Barbara Junior Lifeguard

Ironguard

1^st – Wyatt Warkentin – City of Santa Barbara Junior Lifeguard

Run/Swim/Run

1st – Wyatt Warkentin – City of Santa Barbara Junior Lifeguard

Surf Team

1st – Wyatt Warkentin – City of Santa Barbara Junior Lifeguard

OPEN DIVISION (16-34)

Board Race

8^th – Roman Higgins – City of Santa Barbara & CA State Lifeguard 

9^th – Luc Doering – City of Santa Barbara Lifeguard 

Taplin Relay

11^th – Luc Doering – City of Santa Barbara Lifeguard 

11^th – Roman Higgins – City of Santa Barbara & CA State Lifeguard

11^th – Charlie Franzen – SB County Lifeguard

Surf Ski

13^th – Charlie Franzen – SB County Lifeguard 

Ironman

16^th – Charlie Franzen – SB County Lifeguard 

Board Rescue Race

15^th – Roman Higgins – City of Santa Barbara & CA State Lifeguard

Board Relay Race

2^nd – Roman Higgins – City of Santa Barbara & CA State Lifeguard