Two Santa Cruz teens will compete for Team USA at the 2025 Lifesaving World Championships in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, from Nov. 27-30.
Hayden Mandell, 17, and Finley Dobkin, 16, longtime participants in the Santa Cruz City Junior Lifeguard Program and Westcliff Surf Lifesaving Club, were named to the 16-member U.S. Lifesaving Association Youth National Team after competing at the 2025 USLA National Championships held at Huntington State Beach in August.
The International Surf Rescue Challenge features a variety of categories, ranging from beach sprinting to board racing. Mandell, who attends Santa Cruz High School, will represent the U.S. in beach events and Dobkin, a student at Pacific Collegiate School, will compete in water events.
Coach Sae Ackerstein, herself a veteran of international surf rescue competition, praised both competitors for their “years of hard work and dedication,” calling their selection “one of the highest honors in surf lifesaving sport.”
To help cover travel and equipment costs of $1,500 per athlete, Laughing Monk Brewing in Scotts Valley will host a fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 18, donating 15% of sales to support the athletes. The free, family-friendly event features live music by local band Ribsys Nickel from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
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