Rabbit Kekai Kirsten Allred Dane Perlee Ashley Lloyd Shelly Hayden Tony Caramanico Paul Steinberg Kevin Miske Joy Magelssen Tory Gilkerson Kawehi Whitford Scott Diederich Jim Birdsell Rob Pelkey Mitch Kahn SCOTT DIEDERICH Scott is currently a lifeguard lieutenant for Laguna Beach and has worked for the agency for 21 years. In his free time you’ll find him surfing, scuba diving or training at South Orange County beaches. A top competitor each year at the US National lifeguard titles, he competes in the paddles board, surfski, rescue board rescue, run-swim-run and international ironman races. He also competes as a member of Team California at the Hawaiian Oceanfest and has been selected twice for the Weiland Shield competition an event that was started in 1956. Every other year the State of Victoria, Australia lifeguards compete against California Lifeguards. The teams include six males and three females. In addition to his ocean credentials, Scott has a B.S. degree in Public Administration a Masters of Science degree in Leadership and Management from the University of La Verne in Pomona, California. He currently resides in Capistrano Beach. JIM BIRDSELL aka GLASS POODLE A seasoned lifeguard, Birdsell has been with the state for 20 years in San Clemente, Long Beach and San Diego. In addition to beach lifeguarding, he is a member of the River Rescue Team specializing in swift water rescues. Birdsell graduated from Long Beach State and competed in water polo throughout. He was selected for the US National team and has traveled around the world in competition. He spent several years coaching water polo and has been a competitive lifeguard since. He has held the national championships title in dory racing which is his specialty. He also competes in the American Ironman and National Doryman National Championships. He currently lives in San Clemente. MITCH KAHN Mitch has been competing in lifeguard competitions for 25 years. He grew up surfing Cotton’s Point and lifeguarding in San Clemente State Beach. He played water polo for Long Beach State with Birdsell and graduated with a BS in marketing. He has several competitive accolades: 5 gold medals at US Olympic Festival in kayaking from Los Angeles, medaling in 1991 Pan American Games and team captain for the US Olympic kayak team in 1992. Kahn has won 45 individual open titles from the US Lifeguard Championships, the most by any competitor in the history. He currently works with the OC fire authority as firefighter and paramedic and LA county fire dept. ocean lifeguard and is married with three little ones. ROB PELKEY Pelkey grew up in the water in San Clemente, CA playing age group water polo, swimming and competing in jr. lifeguard competitions for the state. He went on to play water polo at Long Beach State. He has been working with the San Clemente lifeguards and now with LA county lifeguards for 18 years. He began competing in surf lifesaving competitions in 19997 when he attended his first US Nationals in San Diego. After leaving with two titles, one in paddleboard rescue race and in the swim rescue race, he was hooked. He has since been traveling to Hawaii, New Jersey, Australia and New Zealand. Pelkey earned his first world title in the paddleboard rescue race in 1998. He has competed on two Weiland Shield teams representing the US, five International Oceanfest teams and most recently at the 2001 US Goodwill Games in Australia. He spends most of his free time racing outrigger canoes or participating in surf ski races in which he’s ranked #1 for California the past two years in the long distance surf series. He is 34 years young.