By Steve Landwehr
The Salem News Sat, May 21st

IPSWICH - The clear winner at last night's first lifeguard challenge at the Ipswich YMCA never even got wet - it was you, the swimming public.

It was billed as a battle between guards form the Y pool and those at Crane Beach, but it was really a series of relays and races designed to simulate rescuing swimmers who have gotten into trouble.

More than half the guards were trained at the Y pool, so there was an air of friendly competition that was only heightened when more pool guards showed up than beach guards, and a couple of swimmers from the home team were drafted by the visiters.

The test that looked the hardest had rave reviews: each team formed a circle in the deep end of the pool and passed a 10-pound brick around as many times as possible.

"Treading with the brick was the most fun," said Crane Beach guard Ashley Murray of Danvers.

The competition that looked like the most fun proved to be the most difficult.  That was pushing a rubber duck from one end of the pool to the other without swimmers touching it with their hands.  The ducky kept sliding over and under the swimmers' arms.

In the end, Merri-Lynn Lathrop, aquatics director at the Y, declared the home squad victorious by a narrow margin.

She and Matt James, the head lifeguard at Crane Beach, agreed the exercise had been useful in sharpening skills.  As Lathrop reminded the contestants before the last event, lifeguarding improves with practice.

"It's not enough to be a certified lifeguard," she said.  "You have to get in the water and practice."

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