HUGE START TO AQUELLÉ OCEAN RACING SERIES

Hundreds attended Sunday's aQuellé Ocean Racing Series at Hobie Beach including all the boys from the Khayalethu Youth Centre (in blue t-shirts).

A top class field of participants lined up at Hobie Beach on Sunday morning to contest the first round of the aQuellé Ocean Racing Series with over 400 participants taking part in what has become Africa's largest family beach event and is unique to Nelson Mandela Bay. Taking place on mostly alternate Sunday morning's throughout Summer, the Series offers no fewer than 7 events for families to take part in with 4 swimming events and 3 beach events to choose from with 10 race days planned for this season, Season 12, between now and end of March 2017. 

The toughest of the events is the 3km Ocean Swim which was won by former national lifesaver and top swim coach Hayden Holmes of Cape St Francis in a time of 46min 39seconds in strong winds on Sunday. In 2nd place was East London swimmer Deshaan Pillay with former Springbok swimmer and lifesaver Kevin Richards in 3rd place whilst World lifesaving champion and Woodridge Scholar Amica de Jager, from St Francis Bay, claimed the ladies win ahead of Hannah Haswell and Rebecca Newman. In the 2km swim it was defending Series champion Daniel Jones who won from Jarryd Cooke and Gawie Hennings whilst de Jager's older sister Chane won the ladies race ahead of Liza Kingston and Antonella Saporta. In the 1km swim it was Series champion Ian Venter winning from Byron Lockett and Cullen Biddulph with Kirsten Marriott claiming the ladies win from Maria Holmes and Natalie Ogden.

A new event to the Series this year is the 400m ocean swim with the boys win going to Connor Craig ahead of Guy Cooke and Mark Oosthuizen whilst Chelsey Cooke won the girls race from Jodi Wilson and Gabbi Whitebooi. On the beach, the 5km Beach Run saw Xolisa Tshona winning from Estian Hess and Wayne Mitchell whilst depending ladies champion Tara Sacke won the girls race from Dawn Denysschen and Jorja Sacke. In the 5km Beach Walk it was Grobbie Grobler from Juan Slabbert and Andrew Armstrong with Belinda Niemand taking the win for the ladies ahead of Emily Stemmett and Taryn Ferreira.

In the very popular Kids 1km Beach Run, the winners in the boys age groups were Eden Whitaker (6 and under)
Mark Van Rensburg (7 to  8), Daniel Richter (9 to 10), Josh Pretorius (11 to 12) whilst in the girls age group categories it was Kayleigh Marais (6 and under), Jessi Whitebooi (7 to  8), Abbie Mitchell (9 to 10), Kerri-Lee Barnard (11 to 12).

The Series returns on Sunday 30th October and visitors are more than welcome. Registration and further information available on www.oceanracingseries.com