Penultimate DHL Lifesaving SA Championships day delivers drama, upsets and records

The penultimate day of theDHL Lifesaving SA Championshipsdelivered everything you would expect at this stage of the competition — intensity, drama and performances that could shape national selection. With the ocean alive from early morning and the beach heating up in the afternoon, athletes across all age groups rose to the occasion in a day packed with standout moments. The surf arena set the tone, with marquee open events drawing big performances.

In the Open Ironman, Joshua Fenn (East London Lifesaving) put together a commanding race, using a powerful ski leg and controlled swim to secure gold in a stacked field. On the women’s side, Sasha-Lee Hemmens (Rox Lifesaving) delivered a composed and clinical performance to take the Open Ironwoman title, with Nicola Harcus (Fish Hoek Lifesaving) finishing a strong second. The rivalry between Hemmens and Harcus intensified in the Open Women’s Surf Swim.

In a nail-biting sprint to the line, Harcus edged ahead to claim gold, with Hemmens just behind in silver, a thrilling reversal of their earlier Ironwoman result. The Open Men’s Surf Swim saw Sash-Lee’s husband, Hayden Hemmens (Rox Lifesaving), take control early and never look back, securing gold ahead of Tyne van Achterbergh (Clifton Lifesaving), while Ironman champion Fenn added to his medal tally with bronze. As the focus shifted to the sand, the energy did not drop and the Open Men’s Sprint Relay delivered pure drama.

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Pre-race favourites Clifton Lifesaving looked set for victory, but a costly baton drop in the final handover opened the door for Clifton’s E team of Joshua Huntingford, Sebastian Ilderton, Mathew Pincente and Kyto Tuohy to seize the moment and sprint to gold in a remarkable twist. In the Open Women’s Sprint Relay, Clifton’s depth shone through. The C team of Zoe Beresford, Isabella Greenfield, Keira van Heerden and Ella Dorrington overcame their own late handover stumble to recover and claim gold in a composed finish under pressure from Fish Hoek.

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