IN PHOTOS: Mpumalanga’s toughest swimmers make a splash in Ngodwana Dam | Lowvelder

Some 36 brave swimmers took to the water of Ngodwana Dam on Sunday, February 16, to take on one of the most challenging swimming disciplines – open-water swimming.

A pleasant 25°C water temperature greeted the Mpumalanga Open Water #5 competitors.

The first event, the 3km and 5km races, splashed off at 08:00. Marcus Burger of Uniswim led from early in the 3km swim and crossed the finish line first in 00:44:49. He was followed by clubmate Emma Terblanche in 00:48:42. Curro Swimming Academy’s Zoë Janse van Rensburg was the third competitor to finish in 00:48:55.

Joshua Boyd of Uniswim was the only entrant in the 5km race and finished in 01:11:31.

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The best-supported race of the day, the 1.5km, saw 26 swimmers taking to the water. Extreme Aquatics’ Giann Wessels was the fastest over the two laps of the course, finishing in 00:23:47. He was followed by Lara Janse van Rensburg of Curro Swimming Academy in 00:24:07, and Emma Roberts of Uniswim in 00:24:16.

There was a thrilling duel between two nine-year-olds from Curro Swimming Academy, Paige Plumb and Emma Marx. They matched each other stroke for stroke, with Paige eventually finishing 14th in 00:33:01, and Emma 15th just seven seconds later.

The 10-year-old Estevan Wessels of Extreme Aquatics once again made his club proud, completing the 1.5km in seventh place in 00:28:23, four and a half minutes slower than his brother, Giann, who is five years his senior.

After the five legs of the Mpumalanga open-water swimming series, the provincial team to compete in the Swimming South Africa’s National Open Water Championships has been selected. The team consists of Dylan Stoltz (3km & 1.5km), Joshua Boyd (3km), Adriaan Lombaard (3km), Giann Wessels (3km), Marcus Burger (3km), Anja Buitendach (5km & 3km & 1.5km), Ciska Ferreira (5km & 3km), Tiffany Marshall (3km & 1.5km), Lara Janse van Rensburg (3km), Emma Roberts (3km) and Donne Bruyns (3km).

The championships will be held at Marina Martinique in Jeffreys Bay from March 7 to 9.