THE country’s top lifeguards, lifesavers and all-round athletes will be making some serious waves at this year’s Red Bull Beach Patrol contest at Durban’s North Beach on Sunday, 10 December as they compete against Durban’s best lifeguards in a series of swim, paddleboard and surfski disciplines, with only the toughest pushing through the qualifiers to the final round.
Durban’s Luke Nisbet (32) will defend his title this year, having also placed in the top three of the inaugural Red Bull Beach Patrol in 2015. Nisbet is on top form, finishing fifth in this year’s Pete Marlin Surfski Race and is currently battling it out in the Suncoast Pirates Wall and Back Surfski Series.
“I’ve been racing so I think the surfski leg will be my strongest for Red Bull Beach Patrol,” said Nisbet, a Suncoast Pirates Surf Lifesaving Club member.
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Nisbet will certainly have to performing at the top of his game if he’s going to beat out La Lucia’s Wade Krieger (35) again. The Durban Surf Lifesaving Club member came second in the 2016 main race as well as the three qualifying races leading up to it. Krieger is also a three-time South African Ironman champion, three-time surf-swim champion, two-time Midmar Mile age group champion and a South African Board Champion. For the past decade, Krieger has been in Australia racing against the best ironman competitors in the world.
Verulam’s Mthembeni Mkhize (32), from uMhlanga Rocks Surf Lifesaving Club, missed out on last year’s race because he was working so he’s keen to prove himself at the 2017 edition.
Mkhize has placed in the top three of several long-distance surfski paddle events as well as competing in numerous lifesaving championships countrywide.
“The Red Bull Beach Patrol course looks really interesting,” continued Mkhize. “Running onto the pier and competing in the various obstacles. It’s real endurance, not just for those in aquatic sports, but like naval training! You have to be tough and you have to be an all-rounder. The Red Bull Beach Patrol is open to any willing participants although a fair level of athleticism in the arenas of swimming, paddleboarding and surfski is required to make it through the qualifying rounds.”
To enter, visit www.redbull.co.za/beachpatrol
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