VENTER WINS JENDAMARK BELLBUOY CHALLENGE

EP's top swimmers Amica de Jager, Woodridge High School and Ian Venter, Pearson High School, completed the treble with wins this year in the NMBA 5km Champs, the SPAR River Mile and now the Jendamark Bellbuoy Challenge.

Mother nature smiled favourable upon the 115 swimmers who took part in Tuesday's Jendamark Bellbuoy Challenge at Pollok Beach. Near perfect beach conditions greeted the swimmers as the choppy water conditions from the day before's onshore winds subsided throughout the morning swim. Africa's toughest Indian Ocean Swim didn't quite live up to its nasty reputation with warm and great swimming conditions favouring a fast swim with Pearson High School Head Boy Ian Venter finishing under the 1 hour mark to win the wetsuite category in a time of 58 minutes and 16 seconds with Swimsuit winner Daniel Jones finishing in 1 hour and 1 minute. Legend South Africa swimmer Gary Albertyn from Pretoria was the 2nd swimsuit swimmer home just 18 seconds behind Jones with Byron Lockett grabbing 3rd place in the swimsuit category in 1hr 3minutes. Another swimming legend, Kevin Richards, finished 2nd in the wetsuit category in 1 hour and 45 seconds with triathlete Travis McGrath in 3rd place. First of the ladies home was SPAR River Mile Champion, Amica de Jager, winning the wetsuit category in 1 hour 1 minute with Carmel Billson from Durban finishing in 2nd place in 1 hour 3 minutes and youngster Paige Black in 3rd place whilst Kirsten Marriott defended her swimsuit title in a time of 1hr 11 minutes ahead of Sanmari Woithe and Nikita Werthmann.

Nine swimmers earned their 5 year trophy and these included Chris Viljoen, Conal Turner, Gary Albertyn, JC van Wyk, Peter Mariott and Robert Geddes whilst the Bellbuoy Legends group of 5 local swimmers having done all 8 Bellbuoy races to date remains intact with Mary-Anne Stott, Ralph West, Richden Jute, Andre Kleynhans and Stanford Slabbert all finishing the race.

Gary Albertyn and Idelette Olivier won the 40 to 49 age group with Kevin Richards and Denise Bosman winning the 50 to 59 age group whilst Nigel Cones and Maria Stott won the 60 years and over category. Rolf Kordes at 77 years old was the oldest finisher with Paige Black at 14 years the youngest.4.

A huge thanks must go out to all the water safety volunteers, assisted by Caltex Eastern Cape, and the swimmers seconds who ensured everyone had a safe swim. Full results are available on www.bellbuoychallenge.co.za.