Club champs for local lifesavers

Local lifeguards will hit the water over the next two weekends to compete in the Ballito Lifesaving Club’s inaugural Club Championships.

Children from as young as eight years old will showcase what they have learned during this year’s lifesaving season, on May 18 and 25.

Niplets (members younger than 8 years old), Nippers (members aged 8-13) and Juniors (members 14 and older) will all compete in a number of events.

This Sunday’s competition will be held at the Club’s base at Clarke Bay and will start at 10am. The day will include beach events and a lifesaving signals and theory test for the Niplets and Nippers while the juniors will compete in surf events and do some simulated rescue demonstrations.

Next Sunday, May 25 the competition moves to uShaka Beach, next to the Moyo Pier, in Durban for the Niplet and Nipper surf events while the juniors compete in beach events and lifesaving signals and theory tests. Those events will start at 8:30am.

“Quentin Power and I have decided to include a lifesaving Signals and theory competition, which is not a normal competition event, as part of these championships as we feel that this aspect is an important part of grooming a well-rounded lifesaver,” said Ballito Lifesaving Club coach Sarah Baillie.

“We incorporate theory into every training session so that signals, first aid and water safety become second nature. You will be surprised to see how much our youngest members know,” she added.

Contact Sarah via email at ballitoslc@gmail.com for more information.