History made with SA’S first female team of surf rowers
A DYING sport received a lifeline last weekend in the form of the surf rowing interprovincial tournament which was held for the first time in 20 years. It was the first time a female team competed in the sport.
Surfboat rowing is a team lifesaving sport and competitors break the shores in teams of five aboard a surf boat. Four oarsmen propel the vessel while being guided by their sweep who alerts them to incoming waves and when to either speed up or slow down.
Lifesaving clubs from Knysna, Kings Beach and Blue Water Bay in Gqeberha and Durban’s Pirates Lifesaving Club and Marine Surf Lifesaving Club had teams compete.
There were six male teams and four female teams that competed in the tournament, with three races per respective gender on Saturday and then another three on Sunday.
Durban’s Marine Lifesaving Club secured overall victories in the female and male portions of the tournament.
Lucy Markewicz was part of the history-making team from Marine and got just short of a dozen stitches in her head to go with her win.
“There will always be a bruise
or a scrape as it is an intense sport just like us ladies in the sport. We’ve made our mark and we are here to stay. Leading up to the tournament all we had were each other to compete against so to meet others just like us from different provinces and compete against them was incredible,” she said.
The race begins with a surf row boat and the team on about knee high water and when signalled to start by the referee, they board their vessels and race towards their buoy.
Once they reach the buoy, a couple of hundred metres out at sea, they need to do a quick u-turn back to shore where their sweep disembarks and runs to claim their flag.