Defending champion Byron Lockett of Port Elizabeth secured his second win in as many years to claim the 2015 Jendamark Bellbuoy Challenge in near perfect conditions this morning after organisers postponed the event from yesterday (Saturday) because of strong off-shore winds which lashed the Port Elizabeth coastline.
Lockett won the 5km ocean race in a fast time of 57minutes and 1 second from last week’s SPAR River Mile champion Daniel Jones who was just 12 seconds behind with Pretoria swimmer Gary Albertyn in 3rd place in 57 minutes and 48 seconds. Continuing her amazing week of swimmer, SPAR River Mile ladies champion Hannah Haswell won the ladies category in just her first Bellbuoy Challenge swim in a time 1hr and 1 minute from aQuelle Ocean Racing Series champion Brigitte Muller (1:03:19) with 2014 winner Kirsten Marriott (1:03:25) in 3rd place.
Youngest male swimmer in the event, Ian Venter, won the Men’s wetsuit category in a time of 1hr 8min from Jason Kalogeropoulos (1:11:05) and Dalen Davidson (1:18:03) with Amy Mardon defending her 2014 title in a time of 1hr 19min from Kirstin Wessels (1:20:10) and Denise Bosman (1:21:02).
59 year old Maria Stott finished the swim in a time of 1hr 59 minutes to become the oldest female swimmer ever to have completed the Bellbuoy Challenge. Rolf Kordes, 74, was the oldest swimmer on the day finishing in a time of 2hrs 27 minutes.
“A record entry of participants were greeted with absolutely perfect conditions this morning and for the first time in the history of the swim, no swimmers withdrew during the race.” said Race organiser Mike Zoetmulder.
Organisers were applauded in making the tough decision to postpone the event from Saturday to Sunday morning as strong off-shore winds experienced on Saturday would have seriously compromised the water safety of the event which is reliant on the 60 plus volunteers who ensure the safety of the swimmers along the 2.5km stretch of water between Pollok Beach and the Bellbuoy.
“Without the support of organisations like the Metro, Prodive, ABYC, Summerstrand and Bluewater Bay Surf Lifesaving Clubs, PEDSAC members, and numerous volunteer boatmen, an event of this nature is just not possible and we can’t thank this people enough for making the swim possible.” said Zoetmulder.
2015 Jendamark Bellbuoy Challenge Summary Results:
Swimsuit Category
- Men 1 Byron Lockett (57:01); 2 Daniel Jones (57:13); 3 Gary Albertyn (57:48); 4 Haydn Holmes (58:33); 5 Jason Jones (59:12.6); 6 Dylan Smith (59:19); 7 Joshua Bellairs (1:02:45); 8 Andrew Turner (1:03:14); 9 Mc Burri (1:05:34); 10 Pj Duffy (1:06:35); 11 Nicolas Adam (1:08:03); 12 Jc Van Wyk (1:08:49); 13 Robert Masterton (1:09:15); 14 Rudi Schoeman (1:10:48); 15 Iain Geddes (1:11:08); 16 Kuno Boettiger (1:11:54); 17 Robert Geddes (1:12:35); 18 Wayne Ketteringham (1:13:04); 19 Markus Burri (1:14:02); 20 Rob Smith (1:15:58); 21 Eben Haarhoff (1:17:58); 22 Wayne Mukheibir (1:35:48); 23 Kendal Wright (1:36:25); 24 Brenton Williams (1:40:52); 25 Gordon Hagemann (1:48:55); 26 Ian Van Der Walt (1:52:00);
- Ladies 1 Hannah Haswell (1:01:30); 2 Brigitte Muller (1:03:19); 3 Kirsten Marriott (1:03:25); 4 Amy Keech (1:14:09); 5 Sanmari Woithe (1:15:12); 6 Katherine Fisher (1:24:19); 7 Kayleigh Van Vuuren (1:29:42); 8 Nicola Breetzke (1:30:02); 9 Karen Gibson (1:31:38); 10 Amy Erasmus (1:41:08); 11 Joy Van Der Walt (1:41:24); 12 Maria Stott (1:59:16);
Wetsuit Category
- Men 1 Ian Venter (1:08:55); 2 Jason Kalogeropoulos (1:11:05); 3 Dalen Davidson (1:18:03); 4 Greg Tucker (1:18:24); 5 Duncan Edwards (1:19:19); 6 Ralph West (1:20:31); 7 Richden Jute (1:21:15); 8 Richard Lawrie (1:21:21); 9 Fernando Tallie (1:21:26); 10 Mark Edge (1:22:35); 11 Greg Hough (1:22:40); 12 Joshua Leslie (1:23:05); 13 Fanta Gous (1:24:44); 14 Graeme Renard (1:25:30); 15 Aidan Wood (1:25:44); 16 Duncan Palmer (1:25:50); 17 Andre Kleynhans (1:27:07); 18 Peter Marriott (1:27:15); 19 Brad Joubert (1:28:11); 20 Stanford Slabbert (1:28:15); 21 Daniel Baines (1:28:26); 22 Andrew Smit (1:28:32); 23 Graeme Van Zyl (1:28:45); 24 Hal Snyman (1:28:50); 25 Conal Turner (1:31:34); 26 Colin Carmody (1:31:46); 27 Chris Howes (1:32:29); 28 Rolf Kickhofel (1:33:19); 29 Ryan Hutton (1:35:53); 30 Carel Van Niekerk (1:37:11); 31 Michael Wallis (1:37:46); 32 Chris Meistre (1:38:29); 33 Roch Thompson (1:38:55); 34 Brendon Andrade (1:40:47); 35 Sean Swanepoel (1:42:17); 36 Ian Ross (1:44:19); 37 Jacques Joubert (1:45:19); 38 Kevin Barnard (1:47:12); 39 Gavin Boucher (1:48:15); 40 George Winship (1:48:22); 41 Philip Marais (1:51:03); 42 Mike Webb (1:57:55); 43 John Abbott (1:58:39); 44 Willem Dafel (2:00:44); 45 Dale Whitlock (2:08:23); 46 Rolf Kordes (2:27:50);
- Ladies 1 Amy Mardon (1:19:53); 2 Kirstin Wessels (1:20:10); 3 Denise Bosman (1:21:02); 4 Phillipa Holtz (1:22:57); 5 Brigitte Melly (1:27:19); 6 Mary-Anne Stott (1:29:11); 7 Kerry Hains (1:30:07); 8 Lizette Owen (1:30:14); 9 Christine Coppinger (1:30:34); 10 Jenny Potts (1:30:34); 11 Tammy Geyer (1:30:52); 12 Suzie Du Plessis (1:39:49); 13 Ronel Scheepers (1:47:17); 14 Barbara Fisher-Hill (1:58:10);
Alan Straton
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