Winds no deterrent for Ocean series entrants
DESPITE the near gale-force winds that lashed the city, Sunday morning saw a packed Hobie Beach as more than 400 entrants took part in the third round of the fortnightly aQuellé Ocean Racing Series.
Building in popularity is the newly included 400m swim, which was dominated by 13-year-old Dane Iverson, who won the race from Josh Neubert and Liam Liston.
Tiara Finnis, 10, won the girls’ 400m from Jodi Wilson, 11, and eight-year-old Jenna Coetzee.
With the majority of the top swimmers opting for the 1km swim this week, series leader Ian Venter from Pearson High had to bring his A-game to secure the victory from fast improving Credence Pattinson and Cole Craig.
Kirsten Marriott won the women’s 1km from another rising star, Hannah Counihan, and Britney Brown.
In the 2km race, it was Daniel Jones winning over Slater Black and Flipper van der Spuy, with triathlete Liza Kingston taking the women’s race from Rebecca Newman and Denise Bosman.
In the 3km event, 52-year-old SA watersport legend Kevin Richards took the win from Eben Haarhoff and Jared Jordan.
Hannah Haswell took the women’s race from Tracey Gous and Idelette Olivier.
Juan Slabbert returned to winning ways on the beach in the 5km walk, with Belinda Niemand winning the women’s division.
The 5km beach run was dominated by the children from the Masakhane Future Stars programme, which is supported by Caltex Eastern Cape
No fewer than 30 children took part this weekend.
The 5km beach run was won by Luvuyo Stephen with Xolisa Tshona in second and Vuyolwethu Mbanyana third. Sanet Owen won the women’s 5km run. The aQuellé Ocean Racing Series takes place on mostly alternate Sunday morning’s at Hobie Beach starting at 9am and is open to all. See www.oceanracingseries.com for more details.