Sunday’s 4th round of the Weekend Post Ocean Racing Series saw the cancellation of the Dis-Chem ocean events due to dangerous sea conditions with just the beach events being held on the morning. With over 300 swimmers expected to have taken part, it was a big disappointment for the organisers who had to make the hard decision of cancelling the swimming events despite some resistance from the more seasoned swimmers who were keen to test their skills in the choppy Easterly conditions.
“We appreciate that people travel from far and wide for the fortnightly Ocean Racing Series, but safety of ALL participants is our number one priority and with the strong rip-currents, bluebottles and large swells, I wasn’t convinced that we’d be able to ensure the safety of each and every one of our swimmers in these conditions had the event gone ahead. ” said Series organisers Mike Zoetmulder of Zports. Zoetmulder, a former champion surf lifesaver and owner of a professional lifeguard company in the mid 90’s, said that this was the third time in the 7 seasons which the event has taken place in Nelson Mandela Bay that he’s had to cancel the ocean events due to the weather conditions.
Despite the cancellation of the Ocean Events, Hobie Beach was still a hive of activity despite the weather conditions as the Series beach events, which comprise of the Varsity College 5km Beach Run and Walk and the Kingfisher FM 1km Kids Beach Run, still took place. Sunday still saw some 230 entries for the Series with Marinus Johnson continuing his unbeaten run in the 5km beach run, claiming Sunday’s title from Antonio Seconds and Anele Malie. Margie Saunders kept up her winning form in the ladies race, with a win over Jenna Parry and Lee-anne Collyer. Reyno Momberg walked to victory in the 5km Beach Walk with visiting American student, Emily Farmer, first in the ladies walking category.
In the Kids 1km Beach Run, it was Johua Voigt and Sophie Edwards winning the 8u category with Nicholas Kingston and Courtney Wood taking the 10u titles whilst Cole Craig and Caylin de Lange were the fastest 12u’s on the beach.
Great fun was had by all, especially 4 year old Wernhardt from the Southern Cape who came to PE as a guest of the Ocean Racing Series, was spoilt by the Garden Court hotel during the weekend stay in Port Elizabeth and got his dream realised on Sunday morning when Quantum Investments gave him a massive trampoline as part of the Series’ support of the Reach for a Dream foundation.
Weekend Post Ocean Racing Series: Season 7 – Round 3 – Sunday 6/11/2011
Varsity College 5km Beach Walk
Men: 1 Reyno Momberg 24:38; 2 Colin Korkie 36:50; 3 Johan Ferreira 38:33; 4 Michael Eales 41:18; 5 David Raymer 46:39; 6 David Counihan 46:41; 7 Asis Patnaik 50:04; 8 Reino Verster 54:54; 9 Quinton Adams 55:47;
Ladies: 1 Emily Farmer 44:37; 2 Lindsey Deans 44:38; 3 Maria Stott 45:27; 4 Sweta Das 47:05; 5 Bev Hoog 47:20; 6 Ashley Flynn 47:27; 7 Barbara Foot 50:40; 8 Caroline Els 50:42; 9 Megan Fensham 52:51; 10 Minyonne Verster 53:28; 11 Julia Foot 53:28; 12 Tanya Verster 54:51; 13 Zeytka Verster 54:53; 14 Lana Potter 55:46;
Varsity College 5km Beach Run
Men: 1 Marinus Johnson 16:55; 2 Antonio Seconds 18:41; 3 Anele Mali 19:03; 4 Brian Saunders 19:43; 5 Gavin Moore 20:30; 6 Esra Booi 21:15; 7 Spohosethu Mdingi 21:26; 8 John Parry 21:34; 9 Shane Darcy 21:46; 10 John Lombardo 21:50; 11 Zola Speelman 22:09; 12 Stan Liebenberg 22:18; 13 Andile Majenge 22:23; 14 Qhamani Moni 23:13; 15 Louis Currin 23:18; 16 Clifton Vermaak 24:10; 17 Christo Van ryswyk 24:19; 18 Ken Craig 24:52; 19 Keegan Hoog 25:32; 20 Vuyolwethu Thu 25:45; 21 Rolf Mentzel 26:29; 22 Roberto Almanza 26:38; 23 Damian Everson 26:41; 24 André Ah chow 26:48; 25 Xhanti Fulani 27:17; 26 Xolisa Fololo 27:19; 27 Sakhumzi Gqagqa 27:23; 28 Frazer Paton 27:27; 29 Walter Labuschagne 27:30; 30 Jonathon Grootboom 28:52; 31 Axolile Mbeki 29:04; 32 Mkhululi Heka 29:30; 33 Mike Potter 30:55; 34 Russell Molyneux 30:56; 35 Cameron Hills 32:04; 36 Charlie Hills 32:22; 37 Sifhembele Wana 33:07; 38 Mfundo Catele 33:08; 39 Ayabonga Dingana 36:09; 40 Zolani Guzulu 42:19; 41 Reginald Smith 43:41;
Ladies: 1 Margie Saunders 22:33; 2 Jenna Parry 23:34; 3 Lee-anne Collyer 24:29; 4 Lise Claassen 25:16; 5 Natalie Parry 26:16; 6 Abongile Nonxuba 27:12; 7 Alison Critchley 27:41; 8 Mary Fincannon 29:07; 9 Colleen Blignaut 30:03; 10 Chelsea Maser 30:25; 11 Monique Jordaan 30:27; 12 Alicia Klopper 30:59; 13 Wendy Nel 35:41; 14 Janice Wiehahn 35:45; 15 Thembakazi Jonas 38:08; 16 Sharon Wilson 41:20; 17 Belinda Cole 42:24; 18 Maria Johnson 49:30; 19 Tarryn Els 50:54;
16u Boys: 1 Spohosethu Mdingi 21:26; 2 Andile Majenge 22:23; 3 Qhamani Moni 23:13; 4 Louis Currin 23:18; 5 Clifton Vermaak 24:10; 6 Keegan Hoog 25:32; 7 Vuyolwethu Thu 25:45; 8 Damian Everson 26:41; 9 Xhanti Fulani 27:17; 10 Xolisa Fololo 27:19; 11 Sakhumzi Gqagqa 27:23; 12 Jonathon Grootboom 28:52; 13 Axolile Mbeki 29:04; 14 Cameron Hills 32:04;
16u Girls: 1 Jenna Parry 23:34; 2 Thembakazi Jonas 38:08; 3 Tarryn Els 50:54;
40-49 Men: 1 Gavin Moore 20:30; 2 John Parry 21:34; 3 John Lombardo 21:50; 4 Stan Liebenberg 22:18;
40-49 Ladies: 1 Natalie Parry 26:16; 2 Colleen Blignaut 30:03; 3 Janice Wiehahn 35:45; 4 Sharon Wilson 41:20; 5 Belinda Cole 42:24;
50-59 Men: 1 Christo Van ryswyk 24:19; 2 Mike Potter 30:55;
50-59 Ladies: 1 Margie Saunders 22:33; 2 Wendy Nel 35:41;
over 60 Men: 1 Rolf Mentzel 26:29; 2 Charlie Hills 32:22;
Kingfisher FM 1km Kids Beach Run
8u Boys: 1 Joshua Voigt 04:40; 2 Matthew Kingston 04:55; 3 Kian Claassen 05:08; 4 Sebastian Potgieter 05:26; 5 Harry Edwards 05:40; 6 Connor Craig 05:54; 7 James Taylor 06:18; 8 Raphael Berg 06:33; 9 Clinton Eales 06:49; 10 Brian Young 07:21; 11 Scott Young 07:25; 12 Jason Crowhurst 08:02; 13 Troy Renison 08:07; 14 Tyler Renison 08:39; 15 Cameron Potgieter 12:06;
8u Girls: 1 Sophie Edwards 05:32; 2 Jamie Bulbring 05:37; 3 Olivia Staisch 06:04; 4 Gemma Bisseker 06:13; 5 Jodi Wilson 06:40; 6 Isabella Roche 06:43; 7 Amy Liebenberg 08:12; 8 Michaela Botha 08:34; 9 Jordan Cole 08:58; 10 Tayla Wilson 09:02;
10u Boys: 1 Nicholas Kingston 04:10; 2 Christian Rosser 04:13; 3 Adam Grosse 04:45; 4 Brad Weetman 04:48; 5 Joshua Tucker 04:51; 6 Gareth Finlay 05:03; 7 Jaden Dickson 05:13; 8 Tristan Zoetmulder 05:17; 9 Andrew Roche 05:29; 10 Rahaan Botha 05:35; 11 Anathi Saki 05:44; 12 Francois Okennedy 05:50;
10u Girls: 1 Courtney Wood 04:38; 2 Jade Voigt 04:42; 3 Kayla Ferreira 05:10; 4 Hannah Counihan 05:19; 5 Monique Ferreira 05:21; 6 Josie Claassen 06:22; 7 Hannah Schaefer 06:24; 8 Daina O’Connor 08:48; 9 Claudia Zoetmulder 08:54;
12u Boys: 1 Cole Craig 04:27; 2 Calvin Staisch 04:35; 3 Siphosefhu Bukani 04:52; 4 Andrew Edge 05:00;
12u Girls: 1 Caylin De lange 05:22; 2 Amy Eales 05:47;
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