Hundreds enjoy busy beach day

THE Port Elizabeth beachfront was a hive of activity with two ocean activities aimed at children taking place yesterday.

The 2015 Eastern Cape Nipper Lifesaving Championships took place at Kings Beach, while the final Ocean Series race of the season took place at Hobie.

Both venues had a strong family feel with hundreds of people lining the beach to cheer on participants.

Nippers are children aged between eight and 14 who form part of voluntary lifeguard clubs.

Five different clubs took on choppy waves on Saturday and yesterday in an array of events at Kings Beach.

One of the 155 participants, Kyle Mekheibur, 14, from Grey High School, who is part of the Kings Beach Lifesaving club, said the event had been fantastic despite large swells.

“I think our club did pretty well and we are happy with the results,” he said.

The results for the event were East London first, Kings Beach second, Summerstrand third, Blue Water Bay fourth, and Hobie Beach fifth.

Organiser Paul Lynch said the event had been a huge success.

“The competitors were up against changing weather and water conditions and managed to perform very well,” he said.

Further down the beach at the pier, children as young as four took part in a 1km walk as part of the last event for the season for the Ocean Racing Series.

Organiser Michael Zoetmulder said: “The whole season was terrific and we are already looking forward to next summer.”

The Ocean Racing Series has become very popular with sporty families such as the Hoppners.

Father Geoffrey, 37, took part in the 2km ocean swim, while daughter Jordan, 4, and son Jarryd, 6, did the 1km beach walk. “It was fun. “I’m coming back next year,” Jordan, who attends Priory with her brother, said.

-Eleanor Douglas-Meyers