South West surf lifesavers tackle Sidmouth challenge

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

Some 80 competitors as young as seven joined a grueling board race that saw them paddle, wade and run across the beach at low tide.

Each age group race lasted about 45 minutes with competitors being eliminated after a couple of warm up races, until the last three battled it out for the medals.

Clubs came from Cornwall and North and South Devon in perfect conditions and all vowed to be back for the Longest Day Race next year.

Event director and Sidmouth club chairman Dave Manley said: “It was fantastic to see so many other clubs attending and the feedback from all competitors and supporters was unanimously positive.

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

“I hope it will encourage even more to attend next year.

“The event showed the Sidmouth can be a great watersports venue and such events help raise the town’s profile as a tourist destination.

“I would like to thank all our club members for taking part, our volunteers who helped run the event and the Keith Owen Fund, who provided funds for setting up the event infrastructure.”

The Sidmouth team did well with places on the podium in all but one age categories.

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The results were:

Under 10 Girls - 1st Enzo (Watergate Bay) 2nd Poppy Crouch (Sidmouth), Mia Laws – Turley (Teignmouth).

Under 10 Boys - 1st Reen (Watergate Bay), 2nd Sammy Mayhew (Teignmouth) 3rd Jacob Phare (Sidmouth).

Under 13 Girls – 1st Sky Johnson (Teignmouth), 2nd Lauren Brown (Teignmouth), 3rd Evie Lewis (Teignmouth).

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

Under 13 Boys – 1st George Manley (Sidmouth), 2nd Will Bolton (Sidmouth), 3rd

Under 15 Girls - 1st Esmee Gregorius (Simouth), 2nd Sophia Manley (Sidmouth), 3rd Lilly Lewis (Teignmouth)

Under 15 Boys - 1st Archie Rowe (Sidmouth), 2nd Josh Roberts (Sidmouth), 3rd Finley Morgan (Sidmouth)

Open Men – 1st Anneke (Woolacombe), Jack Gregorius (Sidmouth), 3rd Louis Spalding (Sidmouth)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

Open Women – Kim Webber -Marks (Teignmouth).

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)

The Sidmouth Surf Life Saving Club competition. Picture: Simon Horn (Image: Simon Horn)