Rostock (dpa/mv) - Strong winds and high waves affected the holding of the 24th International DLRG Cup and ultimately caused the competitions on the beach of Rostock-Warnemünde to end prematurely. The safety of the athletes in the water could no longer be guaranteed, chief judge Arno Eberle justified the termination.
The persistent wind whipped up the waves up to 1.60 meters in the surf on Saturday. As a result, some of the athletes who competed in the rescue kayak races did not make it to the buoy marking a few hundred meters from the beach, Eberle described the situation. The cup ended with around 170 participants from five countries with a limited programme.
In the competition between the teams, the DLRG association from Harsewinkel in Westphalia took the lead again after the success of 2019. Second was the DLRG Magdeburg ahead of the SLS Näset Surf Club from Sweden. Best all-around was Chloë Porton from Belgium. Pitt König from Magdeburg won the men's race.
After a two-year Corona break, the rescuers measured their strength on the Warnemünde beach for the first time. Lifesaving is the competitive version of lifesaving. According to the DLRG, it arose from the idea of recruiting people for the water rescue service. Every year, the DLRG provides thousands of well-trained lifeguards who ensure safety and rapid assistance on guarded beaches.
