The nippers from Llandudno Surf Lifesaving Club won gold at the provincial lifesaving championships, held on Clifton 4th Beach last weekend.
The club finished top of the scoreboard after two days of hard-fought competition on the sand and in the sea.
The 100 fielded Nippers had a solid lead of 185 points over their nearest rivals, Fish Hoek, which finished second, and Clifton, which finished third.
Thirteen clubs from across the province took part in the tournament. The nippers, who are aged eight to 14, are trained in water and beach activities.
As their training proceeds, they are later introduced to aspects of life-saving.
The Llandudno and Hout Bay community have embraced the club in recent years, with numbers of children steadily growing.
Established in 1972, the Llandudno Surf Lifesaving Club performs a voluntary and essential service to the community and has carried out many rescue missions and countless help-outs.
Nippers officer Paul Broxis said Llandudno’s secret was to ensure that having fun was always the team’s top priority.
The club racked up 953 points in 11 events, a big improvement on their score of 573 a year ago, when they finished second to Fish Hoek.
“Training must never
feel like hard work or a chore. Our nippers thrive on the enthusiasm of their coaches who match the kids both in terms of energy levels and a sense of fun.
“The unfailing ability of our youngsters to dig deep and pull off some surprising results never ceases to amaze us,” said Mr Broxis.
“Their courage is inspiring. We also have an incredible support base from our parents; the vibe of our club is second to none.”
Llandudno are now preparing for the SA Life Saving Championships in Port
Elizabeth at the end of the month.
