Florida lifeguards compete for top honors at Siesta Key beach competition

Florida's best lifeguards showcased their lifesaving abilities during a two-day competition at Siesta Key on July 21 and 22. 

More than 160 lifeguards from a number of lifeguard agencies made their way to Siesta Key for the 2021 James P. "Mac" McCarthy Regional Surf Lifesaving Championships, an athletic gauntlet that had competitors sprinting, swimming, paddling and displaying other life-saving skills over the course of 16 challenges. 

It's the first time in five years that the event has been held at Siesta Key. Winners from the competition qualified for the USLA National Lifeguard Championships in Texas this August.

Boki Corsovic, a lifeguard from Hollywood, Florida, has been competing in the annual competition for around 10 years. He says he's won regional and national competitions in rowing and finds himself coming back to the contest for the fun and camaraderie with fellow lifeguards. 

"We're adrenaline junkies," Corsovic. "Swimmers like to take the path of most resistance, we like a challenge. … We always have so much fun doing this."