DHL revives Clifton Beach Challenge

The courier company, which first signed with WP Rugby in 2011, has been a supporter of the Clifton Surf community over the last year helping deliver safety to the area’s beaches.

“We’ve seen major dividends from our sponsorship of the DHL Stormers, including the impact it has had on the Western Cape community,” said Sumesh Rahavendra, Head of Marketing for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, which is headquartered in Cape Town.

“However, we’ve been looking to extend our impact in the region and Clifton, as the premier surf lifesaving club in the country, was an obvious choice. The partnership not only allows us great visibility from a branding perspective, but allows to help provide value to the Western Cape and its’ tourists, as the club looks after the safety and well-being of thousands of beachgoers every year.”

As part of the launch of the partnership, DHL has also sparked a revival of the legendary Clifton Beach Challenge.

The Challenge, which used to see Springbok rugby players take on Clifton lifesavers, will now be known as the DHL Clifton Challenge, and will pit two of the company’s sponsored teams – DHL Stormers/DHL WP and DHL Clifton Surf Lifesaving – against each other in a fun game of touch rugby, flag contests and tug of war.

“Most Capetonians will remember the great tradition behind this challenge,” said DHL Stormers head coach Allister Coetzee.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to renew this tradition and create some friendly rivalry between the two teams. ”

The DHL Clifton Challenge, scheduled for Sunday, January 19 (2014), will not only include a day of touch rugby for spectators, but will boast a corporate touch rugby challenge, musical appearances, face painting and various activities for the entire family.

“It’s been nearly seven years since the tournament took place and Clifton Surf is ready and waiting for this opportunity,” commented Marc Truss, Chairman of the club.

And his prospects of winning?

“In the twenty years that the original tournament ran, we were only beaten twice,” he smiled, “those are fairly decent odds…”