2026 Belmar Junior Lifeguard Tournament

31st Annual Tournament

Open to Junior Lifeguards ages 6–15
Mini Guards (ages 6–8) are welcome!

Tournament Information

• Date: Thursday, July 16, 2026
• Location: 6th Avenue Beach, Belmar, NJ
• Tournament Start Time: 9:00 AM

Check-In & Registration

All check-in, late registration, shirt pickup, and lunch ticket pickup will take place under the white tent at 6th Avenue Beach.

• Late Registration Opens: 8:00 AM on tournament day
• Online Registration Only — please register before arriving or use your phone when you get there.
• Credit Card Payments Only — no cash accepted.
• No refunds.

Registration Fees

• Early Bird Registration: $30 per junior lifeguard
  • Available through July 5, 2026
• Late Registration: $35 per junior lifeguard
  • Begins July 6, 2026 and will also be available the morning of the tournament starting at 8:00 AM

Tournament Shirts

Tournament shirts are included while supplies last.

Participants who register after July 5, 2026 are not guaranteed a shirt or preferred shirt size. Shirts and sizes will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

Once shirts are gone, they are gone!

Lunch

Lunch will be provided by Federico's Pizza.

Age Divisions

Age groups are based on the participant’s age on the day of the tournament.

• A Division: Ages 14–15
• B Division: Ages 12–13
• C Division: Ages 9–11
• D Division: Ages 6–8

Participants may choose to compete in an older age division. If they do, they must remain in that division for the entire tournament.

Parking Information

• Paid parking: Available along Ocean Avenue and near Silver Lake
• Free parking: Available on side streets away from the beach

Contact Information

Tournament Director: Nicolette Contella
📧 belmarjrguards@gmail.com

Order of Events

Relay Events

All relay events may compete as:

• All Girls Teams
• All Boys Teams
• Co-Ed Teams

Relay events include:

• Taplin Relay
• Paddle Relay
• Ironguard Relay
• Surf/Swim Dash
• 4x100 Relay

What is the Taplin Relay?

The Taplin Relay is a team version of the Ironman/Ironwoman event.

Each team has 4 competitors:

• 1 Swimmer
• 1 Board Paddler
• 1 Surf Ski/Kayak Paddler
• 1 Runner

The order of the first three legs will be randomly selected before the race begins. The running leg will always be the final leg of the relay.

Director Notes

• Events will run continuously throughout the day and may change order depending on equipment availability, beach space, or ocean conditions.
• Please listen carefully to announcements from tournament staff and the DJ for updates.

Water Course Locations

• D Division: Between 7th Avenue and 6th Avenue
• C & B Divisions: Directly in front of 6th Avenue
• A Division: Between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue

Lunch Information: Lunch will be distributed as it arrives. Please listen for announcements from the DJ regarding pickup times.

Awards: The top 5 finishers in each event will receive ribbons.

Bathrooms- Bathrooms are located at: 5th Avenue & 8th Avenue

Flag Colors by Division

• D Division: Purple Flags
• C Division: Pink Flags
• B Division: Black Flags
• A Division: White Flags

Other Tournament Notes

• Events will run continuously throughout the day and may change order depending on beach space, equipment availability, or ocean conditions.
• Please listen carefully to announcements from the DJ and tournament staff throughout the day.
• Lunch will be distributed as it arrives.
• The top 5 finishers in each event will receive ribbons.

Special Thanks

A huge thank you to the many people and organizations who help make this tournament possible each year:

• Belmar Police Department
• Belmar EMS
• Belmar Department of Public Works
• Belmar Beach Patrol
• Belmar Recreation Department
• DJ Dan & Mike / Raising4 Inc.
• Kiefer Awards
• Federico's Pizza

We appreciate your support of our junior lifeguards and our community!

Sportsmanship & Event Policies

Belmar Junior Lifeguard coaches, lifeguards, assistants, and tournament directors reserve the right to modify or adjust events as needed for safety, scheduling, or weather conditions.

We encourage all parents, families, and spectators to cheer on the athletes and support all competitors throughout the day.

Please remember:

• Junior Lifeguards are children.
• This tournament is meant to be fun.
• Officials, lifeguards, volunteers, and coaches are human.
• Good sportsmanship matters.

Sportsmanship starts with all of us — especially the adults on the beach.