VIDEO, PHOTOS: Avalon rallies to win for third straight year after county championships resume

Posted: July 16th 2024

Avalon's Alyssa Sittineri paddles to second place in the women's paddleboard at the resumption of the Cape May County Lifeguard Championships Monday.

WILDWOOD CREST – The Avalon Beach Patrol came out on top as the Cape May County Lifeguard Championships resumed Monday evening after being first suspended and then later postponed last week.

Avalon won three of the remaining five races – including both rowing events – and amassed 29 points to win the team championship over Ocean City (24) and Sea Isle (23).

The race was originally scheduled for July 8. After a 45-minute delay due to fog, organizers were able to get in three of the eight events before more fog developed and suspended the competition. The event was scheduled to resume two nights later but was postponed due to high winds and rough seas.

A pair of Middle Township graduates, David Giulian and Gary Nagle, began to turn the tide in Avalon’s favor by winning the doubles row by about a half of a boat length over Sea Isle’s Danny Rogers and Pat Scannapieco.

Avalon’s Becca Cubbler (female paddleboard) and Ryan Finnegan (singles row) also won events for Avalon on Monday.

Ocean City’s Lexi Santer (female swim) and Sea Isle’s Andrew Taylor (open swim) were the other individual winners from Monday.

The team championship was Avalon’s third in succession.