Cape Town - Mandi Maritz was magnificent for Team South Africa at the Sanyo International Surf Lifesaving Cup in Japan, but the overall team effort couldn’t match Maritz’s brilliance as South Africa finished fourth overall.
Mark Kleinhans kept Team South Africa’s flag flying at the Orange Cup Pool Lifesaving in Eindhoven, Holland.
Kleinhans won gold and silver.
Australia were victorious on both days in Japan and claimed the overall title for an 11th successive year.
World Champions New Zealand were second overall and came within eight points of taking first on Sunday.
Hosts Japan A finished third.
Maritz on Sunday took gold in the beach sprint and flag disciplines, to go with her Saturday gold in the flags and silver in the beach sprints.
Sunday was also sweet revenge for Maritz in the sprints when she edged Australia’s Bree Masters into second place. Masters, on Saturday, had won the sprint.
Team South Africa, who on Saturday enjoyed top three finishers through Joshua Fenn, Cheyne Haupt, Shane Macquire and Sasha Lee Corris-Nordengen, struggled to repeat these performances on Sunday’s second and final day. Only Macquire, in the men’s sprint, placed in the top three on both days.
The collective was consistent with Saturday and only one point separated South Africa’s effort on the two respective days.
South Africa, in 2017, finished fourth and in 2016 they ended third.
Overall standings
1. Australia 455 (Day 1) plus 442 (Day 2) = 897 points
2. NZL 435 points plus 434 = 879
3. Japan A 329 points plus 341 = 670
4. SA 309 points plus 308 = 617
5. USA 281 points plus 287 = 578
6. England 252 points plus 259 = 511
7. Japan B 240 points 217 = 457
8. Hong Kong 123 points plus 128 = 251
Besides the 'Big 3' of rugby, cricket and soccer, which of the 'smaller' sports in South Africa do you enjoy the most?
