14 March 2023
One of the advantages of living in Durban is having the Indian Ocean as a beautiful backdrop to the city. Lifesaving plays an important role in the coastal lifestyle, and Durban boasts a rich tradition in the sport of lifesaving.
This past weekend, North Beach played host to the KZN Lifesaving Championships and among the leading performers were competitors from Clifton, DHS and Northwood.
First in age group
Clifton’s Luc O’Brien represented Pirates Lifesaving Club and placed first overall in the Boys’ under-17 section after posting a string of excellent results, as follows:
1st: single ski, board, iron man, Taplin team
2nd: run, swim, run, board relay
4th: beach sprints
He was also first in the board and Taplin team events in men’s senior races, and he took fourth in the board.
Under-15 excellence
Fellow Cliftonian, Nathan Burger, was third overall in the under-15 age group. Nathan, who competes for Marine Lifesaving Club, achieved the following results:
1st: surf swim, run swim run
2nd: tube rescue (team event)
3rd: board
4th: flags, long run
5th: beach sprints
DHS students’ Joshua Brien, Christopher Denyssen and Adrian Truter all excelled in the 2023 KZN Lifesaving Championships.
Under-17 standout
Adrian Truter, from DHS, represented Durban Surf Lifesaving Club, and was third overall in the Boys’ under-17 competition, with the following results:
2nd: long run, surf swim
3rd: iron man, taplin relay, board relay
Top finishes
Joshua Brien, also of DHS, wore the colours of Warnadoone Lifesaving Club, and posted a number of top finishes, including:
1st: beach sprint, beach relay
3rd: beach flags
Second overall
Christopher Denyssen, the third DHS student in action on the weekend, contested the under-15 age group as part of the Durban Surf Lifesaving Club team and finished in second place overall.
His results included:
1st: beach sprints, long run
2nd: flags, surf swim, beach relay
Iron Nipper
Northwood also got in on the medal-winning action, with grade 8 learner, Jake Jones, capturing the Iron Nipper Award at the KZN Nipper Champs.
Personal and team success
Kearsney’s Tyla Bricknell, also in grade 8, captained the Umhlanga Rocks (ROX) Surf and Lifesaving club in the KZN Nipper Champs.
Individually, he won a gold and a bronze medal, which helped ROX claim the KZN champions’ title for the first time in nine years.
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