Rescue Sport Series

🔥 Athlete Takeover: Victoria – Wednesday, 2 September 🔥

Meet Victoria, a Masters competitor from Big Bay Surf Lifesaving Club who regularly lines up alongside the Senior athletes — and isn’t afraid to mix it with them.

Her connection to lifesaving spans decades. From Nipper to lifeguard, and later returning as a Nipper Mom and coach, the sport has been part of Victoria’s life in one form or another for years.

Her first love, however, is swimming. You’ll find her chasing lanes with her swim squad five days a week, with Stillwater lifesaving her strongest discipline. She also loves the ocean and the variety that comes with training across both pool and surf events. 🌊🏊‍♀️

Away from training, Victoria runs her own environmental consulting business and is mum to Sophia.

This season, she’s looking to sharpen her beach sprint, chase faster times across her Stillwater events, and perhaps add a World Lifesaving Championships medal to the collection. 👀🏆

Join Victoria on Wednesday, 2 September, for a look inside the training, racing and life of a Masters athlete still lining up with the best.

🔥 Athlete Takeover: Elzaine Rass – Monday, 31 August 🔥

If you’ve watched the beach events this season, you’ve probably seen Elzaine Rass flying across the sand.

Representing Strandfontein Surf Lifesaving Club, Elzaine finished the season as the 2026 Rescue Sport Series U19 Beach Sprints Champion, establishing himself as one of the young athletes to watch on the beach.

One of his standout moments came at the Western Cape Championships, where he claimed his first Rescue Sport Series podiums with 2nd place in both Beach Sprints and Beach Flags.

“It really showed me that hard work pays off, and it’s all about having fun in what you do at all times. It’s one of those events I’ll remember for a long time.”

Away from the beach, there’s a quieter side to Elzaine. He enjoys finding a peaceful place to write poems about his life — a very different pace from the intensity of Flags and Sprints. ✍️

With Season 3 approaching, his goal is clear: get back on the podium at the highest level of competition.

Join Elzaine on Monday, 31 August, for a look inside his off-season preparation as he builds towards another season of Rescue Sport Series racing. 👀

Photographer Spotlight | Lisa Vickers

A familiar face behind the lens, Lisa Vickers has been photographing the Rescue Sport Series since our very first competition at Fish Hoek. We’re stoked to have her on our photo team, a passionate community member who captures the action as well as some of the best behind-the-scenes moments from the beach.

For our Black & White Photographer Series, Lisa handpicked some of her favourite images from season 2. We also asked her what makes lifesaving such a compelling sport to photograph:

“Lifesaving is a visually powerful sport because it combines raw athleticism with high-stakes drama. The contrast of speed, strength, and the ocean’s unpredictability creates striking, dynamic images that capture both human determination and the elemental force of nature. Every race simulates real rescue scenarios, so the intensity feels authentic.”

Thanks, Lisa, for another season of brilliant images and for continuing to tell the story of our sport through your lens. Next time you spot Lisa on the beach with her camera, give her a wave 👋 there’s a good chance she’s about to capture something you’ll want to remember.

🏊‍♀️ Athlete Takeover: Keira van Heerden – Tuesday, 25 August 🌊

Keira van Heerden is the definition of a multi-discipline lifesaving athlete.

Representing Clifton Surf Lifesaving Club, Keira competes across pool, beach and surf, while also competing in high-performance swimming. She’s represented South Africa internationally across both swimming and lifesaving, building an impressive resume across multiple disciplines.

In the pool, her standout event is the 100m Manikin Carry with Fins, where she is a Commonwealth Champion and Commonwealth Games Record holder. 🇿🇦🏆

But there’s more to Keira than the pool. Whether she’s racing on the sand, in the ocean or in the water, she’s constantly looking for the next challenge.

And when she’s not training or studying? She’s a professional napper whenever she gets the chance. 😂

This season, the target is clear: take the next step and finish Top 3 at the World Championships in the 100m Manikin Carry.

Follow Keira on Tuesday, 25 August, as she takes over the Rescue Sport Series and gives us a look at life across the different sides of her sporting world. 👀🔥