SWIMMERS ENJOY NEW WINTER SWIM

Over 100 swimmers braved the 13 degree water at Kings Beach to take part in the Molo Festival of Triathlon Championship Swim on Saturday morning.

With just over 2 weeks till the World Ironman 70.3 World Championships taking place in the City, athletes of all ability got to take part in the Molo Festival of Triathlon Championship Swim at Kings Beach.

Whilst triathletes and open water swimmers got to experience the World Championship swim course, fun runners took part in a 3km Beach Run and local Surf Ski paddlers enjoyed an exciting 3 lap race around the proposed swim course. In a major difference to open water swimming events, the swim ended in true triathlon style with a run from the waters edge into 'transition' and this was the telling factor at Saturday's Championship Swim with Slater Black coming out the water first but being overtaken on the run to the finish by Ian Venter. Venter was ecstatic to claim the winners R5,000 prize just days before he heads off to start University in America on a swimming scholarship. Black held onto second place with top SA triathlete Jamie Riddle running into 3rd place ahead of Pretoria swimmer Gary Albertyn. 

In the ladies swim, Paige Black won from Tracy Gous and Liza Kingston with the top 10 swimmers sharing the prize purse. A half-swim (960m) was also held on the course with young Connor Albertyn from Pretoria taking the honours from Cole Craig and Jared Jordan whilst in the ladies division Tarryn Els made a great return to open water swimming to win ahead of Andrea Cudin and Lindi Humphreys.

The paddlers made the most of the conditions to enjoy a three lap race around the swim course with Luke McNish winning from Richard von Wildemann and Robert Welsh whilst Kirstin Scott won the ladies ski race from Lizette Owen and Megan Sinclair.

The Molo Festival of Triathlon continues this weekend with a schools triathlon development clinic in the Walmer Township. Full results from the events on Saturday can be found on www.zsports.co.za/molofestival.