MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The annual lifesaving competition, the Cape Champs, is taking place on 3 February at Santos Beach, Mossel Bay.

The competition has been held every year since 2012. The only year it was not held was 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Western Cape clubs

The competition is for Western Cape surf lifesaving clubs, but some clubs from other provinces sometimes do take part individually. Junior and senior lifesavers are welcome, but the competition is not for nippers.

The championships start at 08:00.

The Mossel Bay clubs taking part are Hartenbos, Marlin (based at Santos Beach), Southern Cross (based at De Bakke Beach), Mossel Bay Surf Lifesaving Club (Dias Beach) and Great Brak (based at Suiderkruis Beach, Great Brak). Plettenberg Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, based at central beach there, is also taking part.

Eden Lifesaving is hosting the competition. Eden Lifesaving secretary Joy Goulooze said: "Altogether about 11 clubs take part usually. We are still waiting for entries."

High performance teams

Two Eden lifesavers are in the junior Lifesaving Western Cape high performance team and two are in the senior/open Lifesaving Western Cape high performance team. Three of the athletes are from Mossel Bay.

Selected for the junior team are:
•     Jonah Bush from Southern Cross based at De Bakke Beach.
•     Ellen Strydom from Plettenberg Bay.

Selected for the open (senior) team, both from Marlin, based at Santos, are:
•     Sameer Mathews
•     Rudi Boer

'Excellent prelude'

Goulooze said: "The Champs are an excellent prelude competition for athletes to test their fitness for the coming Lifesaving Western Cape Championships that will be held in Cape Town from 24 to 25 February and the DHL National Lifesaving Championship, which will be held on Addington Beach, Durban, from 21 to 23 March.

For more information on the competition, call the competition officer, Claudio Miller (082 455 8081), or Goulooze (081 368 5762).

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