Fine weather aids swimmers

MOTHER nature smiled favourably upon the 115 swimmers who took part in yesterday’s Jendamark Bellbuoy Challenge at Pollok Beach.

Near-perfect beach conditions greeted the swimmers as the choppy water conditions from the day before's onshore winds subsided throughout the morning swim.

Africa's toughest Indian Ocean swim did not live up to its reputation with warm and great swimming conditions favouring a fast swim.

Pearson High School head boy Ian Venter finished under the 1hr mark to win the wetsuit category in 58mins 16 sec, with swimsuit winner Daniel Jones finishing in 1hr 1min.

South African swimmer Gary Albertyn, from Pretoria, was the second swimsuit swimmer home, just 18sec behind Jones.

Byron Lockett was third in the swimsuit category in 1hr 3min.

Kevin Richards finished second in the wetsuit category in 1hr 45 sec.

Triathlete Travis McGrath took third place.

The first woman home was SPAR River Mile Champion Amica de Jager, who won the wetsuit category in 1hr 1min, with Carmel Billson, of Durban, second in 1hr 3min, and youngster Paige Black in third place.

Kirsten Marriott defended her swimsuit title in a time of 1hr 11 min, beating Sanmari Woithe and Nikita Werthmann.