On Thursday evening, Aug. 4, this year’s Fire Island Lifeguard Tournament took place under the most perfect beach evening conditions imaginable. The breeze was cooling and the summer light was spectacular. After last year’s rained-out event the excitement felt palpably magnified for this night of thrilling competitions.
The spectator crowd was much bigger than in previous years, and the whole stretch of shoreline between the east and west jetties in Ocean Beach came alive with the explosion of youthful enthusiasm.
Hosted once again by the Ocean Beach lifeguard crew led by Jillian Weinstein, all three teams gathered in front of the main chair for the opening ceremonies: a full-group photo-op, and some spirited opening words.
“The most special thing about this event is not winning the coveted Golden Torpe,” said Chief Weinstein, “but the way every person involved leaves feeling like a winner. This evening just further solidifies the bond all us guards have, despite the beach we come from, and brings us in our brotherhood and sisterhood even closer. We’re so lucky to be able to do this and come together in this way.”
The teams gathered separately for their own eruptions of blood-curdling battle-cries.
The teams included Village of Saltaire, TOI (Town of Islip covering Fair Harbor, Atlantique, and Seaview), and the Village of Ocean Beach.
Contests were as follows:
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The long-distance foot race from Ocean Beach to Atlantique and back.
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The distance swim race out to the buoy just beyond the sandbar and back again.
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The rescue board relay race: This involves paddling the heavy rescue-surfboards around the buoy and back and then running up the berm to pass them on to the next teammate.
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The Torpe, Victim, Line, Beach race (TVLB): For this most dynamically collaborative of all the events a “victim” is sent out to the sandbar to then be rescued by teammates with the torpe (life-saving flotation device), a lot of rope, and a lot of working together in effective synchrony both from the water as well as from the beach.
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The Run-Swim-Run race: Just like it sounds.
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The 4×100: Four teammates, a baton for each team, 100 meters. In short, a relay race.
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The beach flag event: an elimination game, not unlike musical chairs, where, after many cycles, the last one to grab the flag is the winner.
Once again, team TOI took home The Golden Torpe.
After all this incredible exertion and fun, the evening continued for all the guards together, with a full-on barbecue and other festivities, deep into the night.
After all this incredible exertion and fun, the evening continued for all the guards together, with a full-on barbecue and other festivities, deep into the night.
