PHOTOS: SoCal Lifeguard Championships, Taplin

Under the bright glow of spotlights, lifeguards from across southern California battled it out Saturday night at the Southern California Lifeguard Championships hosted at the Hermosa Beach Pier.

The evening's events included the Judge Taplin lifeguard medley relay which, according to the event's website, is the most prestigious lifeguard event in the United States and started in 1936.

Each 18-person relay team consisted of six runners, six paddlers and six swimmers who competed against other in a relay that included running, paddling and swimming.

This year, the L.A. County Central team took home the win with the L.A. County Southern team placing second.

Because lifeguards still had to patrol the coast's beaches during the day, the event was held after dusk under 90,000 watts of light. The large lighting truck, according to its operator, is normally used to light movie sets during nighttime shoots.

Also included in the night's competition were the final events of the Wieland Shield competition, which pits California's lifeguards against lifeguards from Victoria, Australia.

For the first time since 2000, the Californians beat out the Australians to take home the shield.