Capitola Junior Guards claimed first-place medals in eight events at the California Surf Lifesaving Association’s regional championships July 21 in Newport Beach.
Starting line of U19 Men’s Paddle Race
Cheryl Brightfield won two gold medals, one individually and one teaming with Waverly Brooks.
London Lorber also claimed two gold medals, one individually and one as a team with Lillian Gills and Nika Giorgianni.
Livija Erhardt, Lana Walding and Haven Halter teamed up to win gold.
Emma Ingram earned a solo gold.
Ryan Walding won an individual gold, and Martin Cruz and Jack Davis teamed up for gold.
Jack Davis (left) and Martin Cruz — Boys Rescue Relay B First Place
Gold medal winners earn the right to go on to the national championships Aug. 9 in Virginia Beach.
Capitola competitors also earned second or third place in nine events.
Local rival Santa Cruz brought home 13 first-place medals and placed second or third in 23 events.
Sae Ackerstein led the team with three gold medals in individual events.
Hillary Dixon, whose has two children in Junior Guards and put together a list of the top 3 local winners, said she “was blown away with how many kids were on the list!! It was an incredible showing for both teams.”
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Cheryl Brightfield and Waverly Brooks, gold in board rescue team
Girls
U 19
Distance Run
- Lucy Clow – Santa Cruz
Distance Swim
- Malia Cooper – Santa Cruz
Board Rescue Team
- Cheryl Brightfield, Waverly Brooks – Capitola
- Sae Ackerstein, Malia Cooper – Santa Cruz
Board Race
- Sae Ackerstein – Santa Cruz
- Cheryl Brightfield – Capitola
“Surf” Swim Team
- Malia Cooper, Lucy Clow, Sae Ackerstein – Santa Cruz
- Cheryl Brightfield, Sydney Walsh, Waverly Brooks – Capitola
Rescue Race Team
- Sae Ackerstein, Lucy Clow, Malia Cooper, Casey Rodger – Santa Cruz
Surf Ski
- Sae Ackerstein – Santa Cruz
Ironwoman
- Sae Ackerstein – Santa Cruz
14-15
“Surf” Swim Team
- Zoe Pochet, Natalia Orozco, Ava Storm – Santa Cruz
- Addie Lorber, Mariella Guevara, Marria Talavera – Capitola
Paddle Relay
- Finley Dobkin, Zoe Pochet, Julianne Sanguinetti – Santa Cruz
Run-Swim-Run
- Mariella Guevara – Capitola
Beach Flags
- Emma Ingram – Capitola
Board Race
- Finley Dobkin – Santa Cruz
Run Relay
- Hayden Mandell, Zoe Pochet, Healey Skelton, Liliana Gingery – Santa Cruz
Rescue Race Team
- Hayden Mandell, Zoe Pochet, Ava Storm, Liliana Gingery – Santa Cruz
12-13
Board Race
- Haven Halter – Capitola
Distance Run
- Isla Roake – Santa Cruz
Run Relay Team
- Grady Cloyd, Ila Dawson, Joy Roberts, Harper Ryono – Santa Cruz
Paddle Board Relay Team
- Livija Erhardt, Lana Walding, Haven Halter – Capitola
- Isla Cooper, Ila Dawson, Harper Ryono – Santa Cruz
9-11
Paddle Board Relay
- London Lorber, Lillian Gills, Nika Giorgianni – Capitola
- Alaia Cerdas, Nava Garaway, Isla Ryono – Santa Cruz
Board Race
- London Lorber – Capitola
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Boys A Paddle Team winners: Santa Cruz, 1st: Caetano Dawson, Drake Harper, Angelo Sanguinetti and Capitola 2nd: Ryder Walding, Nathan Wishler, Cane Mitchell
Boys
U19
Distance Run
Eli FItchen-Young, Kees Van Der Meer, Jack McNulty – Santa Cruz
Distance Swim
- Kees Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz
- Hayes Pizzica – Capitola
Board Rescue
- Kees Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz
Rescue Race Team
Grady Cloyd, James Holmlund, Jack McNulty, Kees Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz
Run – Swim – Run
- Kees Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz
- Jack McNulty -Santa Cruz
Surf Ski
- Kees Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz
Ironman
- Kees Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz
14-15
Distance Swim
- Nico Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz
Board Race
- Ryder Walding – Capitola
- Drake Harper – Santa Cruz
Beach Flags
- Bo Goldstein – Santa Cruz
- Darioush Johnson – Santa Cruz
Run – Swim – Run
- Nico Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz
“Surf” Swim Team
- Nico Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz
Paddle Relay
- Caetano Dawson, Drake Harper, Angelo Sanguinetti – Santa Cruz
- Ryder Walding, Nathan Wishler, Cane Mitchell – Capitola
Run Relay
- Caetano Dawson, Bo Goldstein, Darioush Johnson, Finn Mitchell – Santa Cruz
Rescue Race Team
- Drake Harper, Jude Holmlund, Lucas Neushul, Nico Van Der Meer – Santa Cruz
12-13
Rescue Race Team
- Martin Cruz, Jack Davis – Capitola
Run – Swim – Run
- Martin Cruz – Capitola
9-11
Beach Flags
- Zander Brown – Capitola
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TOP PHOTO: Girls B Paddle Team First Place (from left): Haven Halter, Livija Erhardt, Lana Walding