The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation (PCMF) hosted a three-day event at Sun City this past weekend, with the Water Bike Challenge taking centre stage.

With Princess Charlene in attendance, the event was led by celebrity participants, including musician Neil Breytenbach, former New Zealand rugby star-turned entrepreneur Sam Barton, model Lee-Anne Liebenberg and Olympic swimmer Ryk Neethling.

The three-day fundraising initiative, which included a Learn to Swim clinic for more than 100 school children, saw the Monaco royal taking a hands-on approach to water safety education.

The Water Bike Challenge, historically held on the French Riviera between Nice and Monaco, proved to be a fun activity for all those in attendance, and managed to raise much-needed funds for Lifesaving South Africa.

The Water Bike Challenge, historically held on the French Riviera between Nice and Monaco, proved to be a fun activity for all those in attendance.

“The Water Bike Challenge is great fun for participants and spectators, but it’s also an essential element in raising funds and awareness for saving lives and instilling a water safety culture in communities across Southern Africa,” said Chantell Wittstock, CEO of the Foundation’s arm in South Africa.

“We were thrilled that Princess Charlene of Monaco could attend the event and play such an active role in educating children about water safety and raising awareness of this critical cause.

“Bringing the Water Bike Challenge to South Africa for the first time is a step towards increasing the amount of work the Foundation does in the region and boosting the good we’re able to do here,” Wittstock concluded.

With a membership exceeding 8,000 individuals, Lifesaving South Africa operates across 65 surf clubs and 22 pool clubs nationally.