July is always “epic” mid-Island. The Surf City Beach Patrol will host its ninth annual Epic Lifeguard Tournament at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 12, on the Fifth Street beach. This year, the event features only women, a twist from the previous eight summers.

“We want to give the female lifeguards a chance to display their lifeguarding skills in their own Epic tournament,” said SCBP Capt. Mark Dileo.

Patrols from Surf City, Harvey Cedars, Ship Bottom, Beach Haven, Barnegat Light, Lavallette, Island Beach State Park and Seaside Park will participate in the tourney.

“In keeping with the Epic tradition,” Dileo noted, “the teams will consist of six competitors on a common course,” contesting one another in the following events: doubles row, four-person swim relay, four-person paddle relay, line race and medley relay.

For host Surf City, lifeguards Jenn Welc, Brittany Histing, Lauren Rothstein, Emily Rothstein, Jaime Malandra and Jeannie Grieve seek to build on an impressive 2011, when the SCBP women finished second in the Island Beach State Park Women’s Lifeguard Tournament behind “the always-strong women’s team from Lavallette,” said Dileo.

The Harvey Cedars Beach Patrol took first place in last year’s Epic, with Surf City grabbing third.

If postponed, the Epic will take place on Monday, July 16. —J.K.-H.