Beach day

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff Above, Ocean’s Lauren Stengel races to the water as she competes in the second leg of the run-paddle-run event at the 21st annual All-Women Lifeguard Tournament at Sandy Hook on July 27. Below, competitors head to the water to start the run-swim-run race.

Some of the top female lifeguards from throughout the nation converged on Sandy Hook on July 27 to participate in the 21st annual National Park Service All-Women Lifeguard Tournament.

With over 200 competitors, this remains the largest tournament in the nation devoted solely to women’s competition, and this year the competition was as fierce as ever.

Many of the Jersey Shore’s elite teams were among the top point scorers, with Lavallette winning the Division II team title, beating rival Ocean Grove, 112-91, while Manasquan and Belmar took second and third respectively, behind Long Beach (N.Y.).

Individually, Ocean Grove’s Michelle Davidson, a familiar name to the competition, was as strong as ever, winning the Division II Surf-Ski Challenge, the Run-Swim-Run and the Ironwoman races.

Lavallette was able to top Davidson’s Ocean Grove team, thanks to wins in the Surf Rescue (Tara Gillies and Rebekah Weiner) and the Swim-Run Relay (Weiner, Gillies and Janice Panaccio).

Above, Ocean Grove’s Michelle Davidson competes in the surf-ski race, one of three events she won during the All-Women Lifeguard Tournament at Sandy Hook on July 27. Below, competitors break through the surf during the surf boat race, while at right, they dive into the gritty sand during the beach flags event.

Spring Lake’s Rebecca White also fared well, winning the Division III Beach Flags competition.