Lifesaving South Africa National Championships 2023
The DHL Lifesaving South Africa National Championships were held from 30 March to 5 April 2023 at Kings Beach, Port Elizabeth. Plett Surf entered a strong contingent of Nippers (ages 8 to 13) and Junior Lifesavers (ages 14 to 18), plus a Masters crew.
The competitors had been training hard during the past season and, at times, under very trying conditions. Plett Surf is very proud of them for their achievements at Nationals, as well as their dedication and sportsmanship. They are wonderful ambassadors for the club.
Juniors & Nippers
The Junior Squad took 12th place overall, which was a great improvement from last year. Many athletes made the semi-finals or were just “pipped at the post.”
The Nipper Team took 7th place overall, which was outstanding considering the small number of entrants. There were 25 clubs entered overall.
A huge congratulations to our medal winners! These athletes raced heat after heat just to get to the finals. Some races had over 40 athletes in the lineup, so to achieve top 3 is a huge accomplishment.
Juniors & Nippers Medal Winners
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- Emma Neethling (Outeniqua)
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- Ruan Coetzee (Outeniqua)
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- Liam Stephenson (Wittedrift High School)
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- Hannah De Necker (Greenwood Bay College)
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- Amber Wiley (Greenwood Bay College)
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- Luc Jackson (Greenwood Bay College)
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- Jordi Ilderton (Greenwood Bay College)
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- Ava Hall (Greenwood Bay College)
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- Sam Proctor (Plett Primary School)
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- Donay Botes (Plett Primary School)
Special Mentions
Emma Neethling, Liam Stephenson and Hannah de Necker have all been selected to represent the Western Cape Nipper team in Durban for Provincial Championships. Additionally, Liam was awarded Victor Lodorum for U14 boys, while Hannah achieved overall 3rd place in her age group!
All of our athletes displayed their strengths and determination in all the team events, often in difficult conditions. They did very well and made Plett Surf incredibly proud.
Masters
Last but not least, our Masters Squad. The squad comprised of mainly Nipper and Junior Coaches. What a great example these athletes were for the younger teammates! Not only did they achieve podium finishes, but they also showed absolute commitment and a sense of humor at all times.
Masters Medal Winners
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- Daniel Meiring
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- Ian Jackson
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- Marc Jackson
Well done to Daniel Meiring, Ian Jackson, and Marc Jackson – our Masters Medal Winners!
Plett Surf is incredibly proud of all of its athletes who competed at the DHL Lifesaving South Africa National Championships. They have all worked hard and deserve to be congratulated on their achievements.