SA athletes duel for spots in Lifesaving World Championships squad

Selection for Team South Africa at the Lifesaving World Championships in Italy later this year is an added incentive for South Africa's elite athletes at this month’s DHL LSA National Club Championships in Gqeberha.

The World Championships take place in Riccione, Italy from 20 September to 2 October and LSA has confirmed a senior provisional squad of 26 among women and men and a junior squad of 22, including 13 of the country's most talented youth women and nine young men.

Several of the provisional squad recently led Team South Africa to victory at the African Lifesaving Championships in Egypt, where South Africa totalled 500 points to beat hosts Egypt into second place.

Team South Africa’s success in Egypt was a boost for the sport in South Africa, given the youthful make-up of the squad and this month's National Club Championships will pit the old versus the new in what should make for an enthralling week of competition in the surf, pool and on the sand.

Clifton teenager Naor Lombard enjoyed a strong African Championships, as did Travis Misdorp, Keegan Cooke and Chevan Clarke, while Kristin Bellingan, Tatum Botha and Ellen Kleinschmidt were among Team South Africa’s gold medal winners.

All of the above will be at the National Championships, and Clarke's flags showdown with South Africa’s most celebrated and decorated sprint and flags specialist Ryle de Morny will be one of the highlights.

Clarke won silver at the World Championships in Egypt and at last year’s National Championships stunned De Morny in the flags final.

De Morny, for more than a decade has been supreme in the sprints and flags in South Africa and internationally.

Durban Surf's Amica de Jager, who was named the 2021 female athlete of the surf championships with