Top international sport stars and celebrities will be participating in the sixth annual Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge at Plettenberg Bay on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 December 2009.Sponsored by Stonehage international family wealth advisers and Discovery, the event offers fun-filled professional sports and lifestyle challenges for young and old. Event director Mark Collins of Magnetic South said well-known sports men and women were participating in each of the seven events taking place over two days. “Paralympic gold medallist Natalie du Toit and Olympic long distance swimmer Chad Ho will again go head-to-head in the iconic 6km Ocean Swim from Robberg Corner to Central Beach – an event in which Chad had narrowly beaten Natalie last year. Carte Blanche television presenter Derek Watts will be a safety paddler alongside competitors in the swim. The 15km Surf Ski event will feature Olympic paddler Michelle Eray and adventure racer and ‘Dusi King’ Martin Dreyer, while Comrades Marathon legend Bruce Fordyce will host the 10km Run and South African mountain bike champion Kevin Evans will lead the way in the new 25km Mountain Bike Race.” Inspirational speakers Natalie du Toit and Bruce Fordyce will address participants ahead of the events, while Derek Watts will also be involved during the prize giving.  Collins said that although the challenges continued to attract promising athletes in all disciplines, events were as much geared towards families as professionals. “In addition to the ever-popular Beach Walk on Central Beach, we have this year introduced a One Mile Lagoon Swim and the Sabrina Kids of Steel duathlon at the Cape Nature property on the Keurbooms Lagoon, the latter a 1km run and 100m swim challenge aimed primarily at children aged six to ten. “The extended two-day format also allows multi-disciplinary athletes to participate in more than one event, which was not possible in the past. Some may even attempt the 10km run, the mile swim and the 25km mountain bike race – the Sabrina Triple. “The Challenge also has a very special atmosphere, which is at least partly due to the pink-themed T-shirts, swim caps and other paraphernalia worn by participants. It is a wonderful gathering of laughter, sharing and good, clean fun,” said Collins. 

More than 1000 competitors are expected to participate in the Sabrina Love Ocean Challenge, which is the main fundraising activity for the Sabrina Love Foundation. Established in 2003 by Tony and Suzy Lubner in memory of their daughter Sabrina, who died at age six from complications of a rare bone disorder, the Foundation now supports children and families living with physical disabilities in the Bitou region.