THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 14, 1995 TAG: 9507130133
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
GLEN KAPLAN WASN'T a familiar face to many of the lifeguards huddled on the sand at 12th Street prior to the 13th annual Virginia Beach Chapter of the U.S. Lifesaving Association's competition.
He was after the event was complete.
Kaplan arrived on the local lifeguarding scene in late spring, a freshman swimmer for Old Dominion University. But few other than his fellow Ocean View Beach lifeguards knew much about him.
After the first of four events - the run-swim-run competition - it was clear the 18-year-old was a force to be reckoned with.
Kaplan won the event - which features a 200-yard run, followed by a 200-yard swim, and another 200-yard run - in easy fashion. Jack Michaels and Jonathan Fussell were a good distance behind as Kaplan trotted across the finish line.
As if that event wasn't tiring enough, Kaplan took the starting line in the two-man rescue several minutes later - teaming with Matt Craven to make it 2-for-2 in the competition.
That should be enough, right?
Wrong.
The gangly lifeguard then took part in the landline rescue in which a victim is waiting 100 yards out in the water, a swimmer swims out a rescue line and buoy and two pullers on the beach yank the in-the-water pair back to shore.
Kaplan, who swims freestyle distance races for the Monarchs, was again the swimmer, guiding the team of himself, Natalie Bisciglia, Bill Caten and Brad Barbour to victory.
Make his record in his first local competition 3-for-3.
``We have a lot larger competitions for lifeguards back home,'' the Long Island, N.Y., native said. ``The meets are very similar, but a lot tougher because there are so many more lifeguards competing.
``But this has been an awful lot of fun and the people are real nice. I'm glad I decided to do this.''
Erin Bissell was the hot property as far as the women's portion of the competition was concerned. She won the women's run-swim-run, was part of the second-place team in the two-man rescue, was part of the second-place team in the landline rescue, and won the beach flags competition.
This year's event drew lifeguards from the Ocean View Beach Patrol, Dam Neck Beach Patrol, Sandbridge Beach Patrols, 57th Street Beach Patrol and several individuals from other member facilities.
Winners qualify for the national competition to be held later this summer. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Bill Caten, left, Glen Kaplan, Natalie Bisciglia and Brad Barbour
win the landline competition. Kaplan won all three events he
entered.
VBUSLA RESULTS
[For a copy of the results, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB