They come from across the country to test their prowess on land and in water.

From California’s Los Angeles County to the sands of Fire Island, New York, more than 1,200 lifeguards are expected for the Nautica United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Lifeguard Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia from August 6-9.

“I think that our top-level competitors are just amazing athletes,” said USLA Competition Chair Ed Zebrowski. “You’ve got to be able to swim, run, and paddle. If you think of all the different muscle groups that you need to keep in shape to do all those things, those are some pretty rigorous training routines.”

These aren’t your run-of-the-mill summer pool lifeguards, but professionals who are members of a nonprofit association of beach and open water rescuers.

Think of them as waterfront first responders.

The professional lifeguards range in age from 17 to 75, while junior lifeguards are between nine and 17. They compete in both individual and team events in water and on the beach that test their lifesaving skills.

There are surf swims, beach runs, paddleboards, and surf boats. Some of the highlights include the Landline Rescue Relay, Ironman and Ironwoman events, Beach Flags, and the 4×100 relay, a shuttle-run-style competition that is called “the fastest event on sand.”

The championships have been dominated by the L.A. County Lifeguard Association, winning an incredible 27 consecutive years, with last year’s victory marking the team’s 40th title.

There is also a B division for lifeguard chapters with less than 100 lifeguards, and that was won by Smith Point, New York last year.

“There are places like L.A. County in California and Palm Beach County in Florida where there is a need for year-round lifeguards,” Zebrowski said. “In the Northeast, almost all of them are seasonal. That’s why we have two divisions.”

For spectators, the competition isn’t exactly like watching football or baseball games. Parents with kids who swam competitively in school might know their child’s stroke in the water, but most wouldn’t.

That’s why the events on land and above water (on a board or in a boat) are the most spectator friendly.

“The Landline Rescue Relay is a very exciting race because it recreates what goes on during a rescue,” he said. “There is a victim, someone goes out and others pull them in.”

In terms of prestige, the Ironman and Ironwoman events are top notch.

Though the job of a lifeguard might be thought of as a summer job for a student, there are plenty of pods where lifeguarding is both a career and a way of life.

Lifeguards for life is a saying many on the water know well.

“I find that to be a truism,” Zebrowski said. “Once you are a lifeguard, you maintain that process for the rest of your life.”

There are career lifeguards, and then those who keep coming back during the summer who working during the year as professors or teachers.

One key is to start them while they’re young.

Junior lifeguards, as young as nine, are taught about water safety and how to react, sort of like first being taught addition and subtraction at school before moving on to fractions later on.

“At an early age, they learn about rescues and recognize the different problems that you can face in the open water and ocean,” he said.

In competition, the junior lifeguards are broken down into divisions so those nine to 11 years old compete against each other, and then two-year groups up to age 17.

They compete largely in the same events as the pros, but the distances are shorter.

“At an early age, they learn about rescues and recognize the different problems that you can face in the open water and ocean,” he said.

Celebrating 50 years of lifesaving, the USLA National Lifeguard Championships will also be featured on Universal Sports Network (USN). The broadcast, produced by Castle Media of Australia, will premiere on USN at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, September 15 and will re-air at 3 p.m. ET on September 16, 12 p.m. ET on September 19, and 5 p.m. ET on September 20.

Images courtesy of USLA