- December 4, 2025
Ormond Beach's Caroline Lydecker (center, red swimsuit) placed first in the women's beach flag event. Photo by Michele Meyers
Lifeguards ran toward the ocean for the open swim event. Photo by Michele Meyers
Athlete Clare Cassidy competes in the open swim event for Ormond Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond competitor Jordyn Eckert enjoys a laugh with fellow open swim competitors. Photo by Michele Meyers
Dunlawton competitor Sara Monette got a little assistance from teammate Jarrett Moorhouse before the open swim event. Photo by Michele Meyers
New Smyrna Beach lifeguard Ethan Doster came in first place in the open swim giving his team 10 points. Photo by Michele Meyers
Kim Murphy with Dunlawton placed fourth in the open swim. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond Beach's Dante Dipietro ran around the flag then swam back out into the ocean during the open swim event at the Interzone Competition. Photo by Michele Meyers
Clare Cassidy and fellow competitors ran in an 'M' shape during the open swim event Photo by Michele Meyers
Clare Cassidy. Photo by Michele Meyers
Daytona Beach lifeguard Declan Outlaw came in second in the open swim event. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond Beach's Dante Dipietro placed sixth out of sixteen athletes in the open swim event. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond Beach's Dante Dipietro and New Smyrna Beach's Liam Barrett share a fist bump after they placed sixth and seventh in the open swim. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sixteen athletes competed in the open swim during the Interzone Competition at Sun Splash Park in Daytona Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ethan Doster said he believed his hot dog speedo had something to do with his first-place win, but he swims up to 7,000 yards a day in training. Photo by Michele Meyers
Kyle Toian led the New Smyrna Beach paddle team to a first place at the Interzone Competition. Photo by Michele Meyers
Jacob Barb steadies his board as he came in for Daytona Beach in the paddle relay. Photo by Michele Meyers
Jacob Barb competed in the paddle relay for Daytona Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Connery Cassidy cheered on the Ormond Beach paddle relay team during the Interzone Competition at Sun Splash Park. Photo by Michele Meyers
Brad Goodrich paddled the last leg of the relay for New Smyrna Beach who placed first. Photo by Michele Meyers
Dunlawton's Joey Rafferty takes a break after paddling in the choppy ocean on the relay team. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond Beach placed third in the Interzone Competition at Sun Splash Park. Photo by Michele Meyers
Everyone cheered as Cole Sorensen finished first for New Smyrna Beach's paddle relay team. Photo by Michele Meyers
The New Smyrna Beach paddle relay team — Cole Sorensen, Kyle Toian, Brad Goodrich and Destin Sharlow — are interviewed after their win at the Interzone Competition. Photo by Michele Meyers
Caroline Lydecker, of Ormond Beach and Julie Barrett with the New Smyrna Beach team battled in the first leg of the women's 4x100 relay. Photo by Michele Meyers
Julia Gold, of Dunlawton and Meagan Groel, of New Smyrna Beach headed into the second 50 in the women's 4x100 relay. Photo by Michele Meyers
Dunlawton and Daytona beach battled in the men's 4x100 relay. Photo by Michele Meyers
Daytona Beach placed first in the men's 4x100 relay. Photo by Michele Meyers
Medley teams listened to the rules regarding the event which included a swim, paddle, run, rescue and victim. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond Beach's Lucy Noble (yellow), New Smyrna Beach's Troy Knopp (pink), Daytona Beach's Dave Carrig (green) and Dunlawton's Jarrett Moorhouse (white) swam the first leg of the medley relay. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond Beach lifeguards Jordyn Eckert and Sam Spall ran toward the finish line after the rescue/victim portion of the medley relay event. Photo by Michele Meyers
Daytona Beach's Gavin Zigler placed first in the men's beach flag event. Photo by Michele Meyers
Daytona Beach lifeguards stole Ormond Beach’s sandy crown in the annual Volusia County Beach Safety Interzone Competition Wednesday, July 13, at Sun Splash Park.
Lifeguards from four districts — Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, Dunlawton and New Smyrna Beach — gathered at Sun Splash Park in Daytona Beach for a friendly rivalry and a chance to show off their prowess in the ocean and on its shores. Ormond’s team won the competition last year.
Volusia County Beach Safety Director Andrew Ethridge said this has been a busy year for the lifeguards. They have rescued over 1,600 people from the ocean and are at the peak of the season.
Competition proved to be stiff and action-packed.
Four teams competed in five events — open swim, paddle relay, women’s run relay, men’s run relay, medley, women’s beach flags and men’s beach flags. Ormond Beach’s Caroline Lydecker took home the first in the fan favorite beach flags and Daytona Beach’s Gavin Zigler took first for the men.
