Durban Surf’s title by a whisker
IT was history-making in every sense at the Kwazulu-natal Wimpy Senior Lifesaving Provincial Championships with Durban Surf victorious by half a point. Never has a provincial championship been decided by less than a point.
In a World Championship year, everyone who needed to be competing was there.
The World Championship is in Riccione, Italy, from September 18 to October 5, but to get there the route is via the provincial championships and the national championships, to be held in Port Elizabeth from March 19-25.
Durban Surf, with 299.5 points, triumphed over Marine’s 299 points. That’s how close it was.
The youthful Umhlanga Rocks squad completed the podium with 243.5 points. Pirates and the Durban Pro Lifeguards were fourth and fifth respectively.
George Edward dominated the men’s events in taking the prestigious Iron Man title and also the board race. Edward, despite being a junior, was too strong for several men his senior and he now holds the rare distinction of having won the best competitor at both under-19 and senior level in Kwazulu-natal.
Chris Mcglynn inspired in the male swims on his return to competitive lifesaving, and was particularly dominant in the surf swim.
South Africa’s most celebrated beach sprinter and flags specialist Ryle de Morny competed for the first time for Durban Surf.
De Morny, formerly of the False
Bay Club in the Western Cape, has won more provincial, national and international sprint titles than anyone in South African lifesaving, but the veteran was forced to play second fiddle to Jonathan Rourke, who now has a positive career winning record in sprints against De Morny, who for the past decade, had been unrivalled in South African male beach sprinting.
De Morny, coming back from a horrific shoulder injury, did not compete in his favoured flags event. In his absence, Chevon Clarke took gold.
Marine’s Carmel Billson, for the past three years, has had no equal in South African lifesaving, be it in the pool or surf, but Billson was a mixed bag in terms of results.
Collectively, the Billson sisters of Carmel, Lauren and Natalie won Marine many points but 2020 was an event that spoke to Amica de Jager, more than any other female competitor.
De Jager was consistent and, at times, brilliant, and won the overall female competitor title.
Provincial and national team regulars Sasha Lee Corris-nordengen and Kristin Belligan were influential for the seniors and among the juniors there was no female better than Paige Horn.
South Africa’s sprint queen Mandi Maritz did not compete and Melissa Corbett dined out in winning the female sprints and beach flags.
Corbett was fantastic in the flags and in the most dramatic finish of the day, she tied (on a dead heat) with Horne in the sprint. Corbett’s half point ensured Durban Surf the overall title.
Fish Hoek predictably dominated the Western Cape Wimpy Lifesaving Provincial Championships in Milnerton, taking gold in the seniors, juniors and overall section.
Fish Hoek, who have been the powerhouse of the Western Cape, finished the overall competition with 945 points, with Llandudno second on 645.5 points and Clifton third with 629 points.