Bouman and Edward prevail in tough surf conditions

VETERAN surf lifesaving iron man Matt Bouman delivered a master-class in brutal surf conditions at North Beach to win the sixth edition of the ADreach Ocean heroes competition from a strong field of athletes.

Bouman exited the water after the swim leg of the four-discipline iron man event in last place as the rest of the men’s field charged into the big surf at the start of the surfski leg. As the surf churning against the pier decimated the field, Bouman used his decades of experience on a surfski and his sheer brawn to crash through the surf and into an event-winning lead.

With a sizeable lead over defending champion Connor Botha, Bouman tore along the pier on the run leg and made no mistake on the malibu board leg to wrap up a peerless victory for the Umhlanga Rox SLC stalwart, with Botha second and Sanele Nxumalo wrapping up a superb third place.

George Edward, who was leading at the start of the ski leg with Travis Misdorp just behind him, finished fourth with Keaton Riddle, who was battling with a severe allergic reaction after the race, finishing fifth.

The women’s enduro produced even more drama. Eastern Cape ace open water swimmer Amica de Jager was superb on the swim leg, and with the organisers wisely scrapping the women’s surfski leg, she started the malibu board leg with a commanding lead.

ALSO READ: Ocean heroes make a difference

She reached the end of the pier with her lead shrinking but then fell prey to the surf and north-easterly winds and was swept into Bay of Plenty where she was dumped in the surf and had to swim all the way to the beach to retrieve her malibu board.

That left the door open for the nuggety defending champion Alice Edward, with young Paige Horn right on her heels, to move to the front, grind into the relentless swell to the turn-can before riding the surf into the beach for the run leg along the pier.

Edward’s title was reward for her tenacity and consistency, with Horn second and the heroic Daisy Mowat, who has just left the Nipper ranks, in third.

There was a rousing welcome for de Jager when she finally made it to the finish after her beating at the hands of the Indian Ocean.

Earlier in the day 19-year-old Michael McGlynn came out of the surf first to claim the top step of the podium in the Surf Swim, with plucky 15 year old Tatum Botha winning the women’s equivalent.

In the new malibu board race George Edward powered clear with James Matthew to claim first and second ahead of the form athlete Connor Botha while Alice Edward added the women’s mailbu board race crown.

Do you want to receive news alerts via Telegram? Send us a message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 060 532 5535.

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Berea Mail Telegram number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts

Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.

To receive our free newsletter click here.