Eastern Province wrestling team, winners of the inaugural South African Beach Wrestling Championships, heads to Jeffreys Bay for the second edition on 28 March. Over 200 athletes will compete on Dolphin Beach as the team seeks to solidify the Eastern Cape's status in the sport.
The second annual South African Beach Wrestling Championships takes place on 28 March at Dolphin Beach in Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape. Eastern Province (EP), which won the first event last year in Richards Bay, aims to defend its title with 239 participants expected from across the country. The sport, recognised by United World Wrestling in 2005, involves matches in a seven-metre circle where competitors score points by pushing opponents out or forcing them to the ground with anything other than hands and feet. A clean toss to the back scores three points, with the first to three points winning within a three-minute limit. Divisions cover ages from under-eight and various senior weight categories for men and women. EP Wrestling president Willie Nell stated, “Due to the down time, we have a lot of catching up to do in terms of mainstream mat wrestling. But beach wrestling is quite new to everyone, and we have the advantage of beach access for training. We won the first national championships, and if we defend the title this year, I think we can establish ourselves as the home of this relatively new wrestling discipline.” The event shifted from Nelson Mandela Bay to Jeffreys Bay due to logistical issues, with Kouga Municipality welcoming it. Spokesperson Monique Basson said, “Hosting the SA Beach Wrestling Championships provides an excellent platform for promoting the Kouga region as a destination of choice for sporting and recreational tourism.” Competitor Jason du Randt, in the +90kg division, recently qualified after winning a local tournament, noting, “Knowing that your friends, family and teammates will be there in person to support you is a major boost.” Nell expressed confidence in back-to-back success to promote the sport regionally.