Cape Town - KwaZulu-Natal's Marine dominated the recent General Tire Lifesaving South Africa Pool and Surf National Championships in Port Elizabeth and the club's strength has been reflected in the selection of the South African National Squad to compete at the World Championships in Australia.

READ: Marine crowned SA lifesaving champions

Marine's powerhouse females make up seven of the 10 selections in the Open Women's, among them 2018 National Championship Overall Female winner Sasha-Lee Nordengen and the 2017 SA Lifesaving Female of the Year and winner of 15 titles in Port Elizabeth Carmel Billson.

Durban Surf's veteran sprinter Mandi Maritz and Amica de Jager add further KZN flavour to the women's squad. 

Marine's Martin Binnedal and Josh Saunders joint SA National sprint Johnathan Rorke (Scottburgh) in Team South Africa's men's Squad. Rorke will team up with his Cape-based sprint rival Ryle de Morny to spearhead the South African men's challenge.

Fish Hoek, overall winners of the Surf National Championship, feature prominently in the men's squad selections, with Fish Hoek's Nick Notten leading the way. Notten is the 2017 and 2018 Lifesaving South Africa National Championship Overall Male winner.

Notten's older brother and an iconic figure in the South African Lifesaving, Dominic, is also in the squad.

South Africa, thanks to the combined efforts of the Federation, its primary sponsor General Tire and the National Lotteries Commission, was able to select the strongest possible squad for the sport’s premier global competition in November.

"We are appreciative of the sacrifice made all year round by the athletes in serving the Federation and as an investor in the sport of Lifesaving we also understand the importance of Team South Africa's international standing as one of the leading nations in the sport. We've extended our sponsorship to making a financial contribution to the squad, along with what is already being financially committed by the Federation and the National Lotteries Commission," said Continental Tyre (SA) Marketing Manager, Ian Langlands.

Sanele Dlamini from the KZN Provincial Office of the National Lotteries Commission added: "We thank Lifesaving SA for their positive contribution in South Africa and we thank them for acknowledging the impact the NLC has across South Africa. We are proud to support Lifesaving SA by funding their high performance programmes and international participation."

Team South Africa World Championship Squad:

Senior women 

Amica de Jager, Mandi Maritz (both Durban Surf), Kyeta Purchase, Carmel Billson, Sasha-Lee Nordengen, Teegan Hardwick, Haley Nixon, Kristin Bellingham, Bianca von Bargen (all Marine), Candice Murray (Fish Hoek)

Senior men 

Josh Saunders, Martin Binnedal (Marine), Ryle de Mornay (False Bay), Mark Keeling, Kenny Rice, Nick Notten, Dominic Noitten (all Fish Hoek), Johnathan Rorke (Scottburgh), Johan Lourens, Ricardo Peach (both Tuks) 

Youth women 

Salinke van den Berg (Manguang), Alice Edward (Pirates), Bianca Opperman, Ally Chislett (both Harties), Deborah Dredge (Tuks). Kira Bester, Megan Kreft, Taylor Yates (all Strand), Tamryn McKie (Marine), Madison Malherbe (East London), Page Horn (Umhlanga)

Youth men 

Milan Erasmus (Durban Surf), Juan Pierre van Zyl (Harties), Matthew Fenn (East London), Renuldo Pedro (King’s Beach), Connor Botha, Shane Macquire, Matthew Maroun (all Umhlanga), Bennie van der Merwe (Bellville), Uli Hart (Fish Hoek), Ryan Chandler (Milnerton)

Pic credits: topfoto.net

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