After an exhausting journey by air the members of the South African team have arrived in Punta Hermosa, Peru, the venue for the 2010 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games. The event gets under way on Monday October 19 and ends on October 27.

The 2010 South African Surfing Team consists of four Men, two Women, two male Longboarders, two coaches and a manager.

The top seed in the Men’s team is current South African champion and former World Tour campaigner Greg Emslie of East London who is the team captain. He is joined by 2002 ISA World Junior Champion and vice captain Warwick Wright of Durban, SA Championships finalist Chad du Toit of Durban and new cap Casey Grant of Scottburgh. Grant recently finished runner-up to Jordy Smith in the Mr Price Pro Ballito.

The Women’s team members are Melkbosstrand surfers Chantelle Rautenbach, the 2009 Surfing South Africa Pro Surf Tour (PST) champion and current SA Open champion, and Stacey Guy who placed third in the Mr Price Women’s Pro Ballito in early July.

Joining two-time ISA World Longboard champion Matthew Moir of Tokai in the 2010 side is new cap Brad Weare of Durban. Moir and Weare finished first and second respectively in the South African Longboard Championships in Jeffreys Bay in May this year.

The experienced Mike Sheppard of Mossel Bay is the Team Manager and he will be supported by legendary Head Coach Graham Hynes of Cape St Francis and David Malherbe of East London.

Sheppard was the Manager of the 2008 and 2009 SA Teams, Hynes has been coaching surfers and national surfing teams for over 40 years and Malherbe is a Level 2 ISA Coach and won a bronze medal in the ISA World Masters Championships in Panama in August.

The South African Team’s preparation, training camps and attendance at the ISA World Surfing Games is supported by a R300 000 grant from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF). The team is proudly supported by Skullcandy, PowerBalance, Billabong and Future Life.

Surfing South Africa is recognised by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and the International Surfing Association (ISA) as the official governing body for the sport of surfriding in South Africa.

Eight provincial organisations and three national associations are affiliated to Surfing South Africa which coordinates and manages all aspects of surfriding from grass roots level through to the selection of National teams.

To keep up to date with the progress of the South African team go to www.isasurf.org where you can watch the Parade of Nations, Sands of the World ceremony and every heat live.

Photos of the SA Team will be uploaded daily onto the www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za and the SSA Facebook site and a daily gallery of photos from the event will be available on the www.isasurf.org website.

2010 SOUTH AFRICAN SURFING TEAM
MEN
GREG EMSLIE (BORDER)
WARWICK WRIGHT (WP)
CHAD DU TOIT (KZN)
CASEY GRANT (KZN)
WOMEN
CHANTELLE RAUTENBACH (BOLAND)
STACEY GUY (SOUTHERN CAPE)
LONGBOARDERS
MATTHEW MOIR (WP)
BRAD WEARE (KZN)
TEAM MANAGER
MIKE SHEPPARD

COACHES

GRAHAM HYNES
DAVID MALHERBE

/ENDS

Compiled by:
Robin de Kock
General Manager
Surfing South Africa

Media enquiries to : 082 454 1149 or surfingsouthafrica@gmail.com

www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
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Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

Billabong team rider Dale Staples put himself firmly into contention for the 2010 ASP World Junior title with a sensational runner-up finish in the Oakley ASP Pro Junior in Bali, the first of two events that will culminate in the crowning of undisputed world’s best junior surfer in Sydney, Australia in January.

The 19 year-old from St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape had a stunning run through the 48 man field of the world’s best 20-and-under surfers before ending up just short in the final against today’s winner, Australian Jack Freestone.

Coming into the event seeded No.30, Staples opened slowly with a second place finish behind No. 3 seed Granger Larsen (HAW), but got his game plan spot on thereafter with victories over Enrique Ariitu (PYF) and compatriot Chad du Toit (Durban) before exacting revenge on Larsen in their Round 4 duel.

Staples got his charge to the final underway with a comprehensive quarterfinal victory over No. 14 seed Evan Thompson (USA) this morning, sealing his semifinal berth with a near-perfect 9.73 out of 10 ride that left the American comb’ed with five minutes remaining.

The South African then had to come back from a combo situation himself in the semi clash against No. 8 seed Mitch Crews (AUS). Needing to improve both his counting scores with 15 minutes left on the clock, Staples produced a 7.50 and then followed that up with another phenomenal ride of 9.33 that left the Aussie looking for 8.34 points when the siren sounded.

As the swell dropped off and the tide went out, Freestone posted a 9,57 on the first ride of the final and despite Staples having the opportunity to clinch the win on a set wave late in the heat, he was clipped as he exited the barrel and the Aussie claimed victory.

“I was just really stoked to be out there and get a good result,” said Staples. “I’m happy to beat some of the best junior surfers in the world – anyone could have been in that final.”

Staples admitted that he was anxious heading into the later stages of the finale.

“I was really nervous,” he said. “I was waiting for a set wave all final. But it didn’t come until the end. I was hoping the last one would open up but it didn’t.”

Staples pocketed US $5 000 (approx. R35 000) and a priceless 8 000 ranking points for his runner-up finish and goes into the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships at North Narrabeen in Sydney in January full of confidence.

With victories in the Billabong Pro Junior on the KZN Dolphin Coast in April and the VonZipper Wild Card Shoot Out at Jeffreys Bay in July, followed by his stellar wildcard performances in outstanding overhead surf at Supertubes against the world’s top professional surfers in the Billabong Pro, Staples will be looking to emulate current ASP World No. 2 Jordy Smith (Durban) and become the second South African to clinch the ASP World Junior title in Australia in three months time.

OAKLEY ASP WORLD PRO JUNIOR FINAL RESULT:

Jack Freestone (AUS) 13.84 def. Dale Staples (ZAF) 8.44

OAKLEY ASP WORLD PRO JUNIOR SEMIFINAL RESULTS:

SF1: Jack Freestone (AUS) 12.84 def. Caio Ibelli (BRA) 11.83

SF2: Dale Staples (ZAF) 16.83 def. Mitch Crews (AUS) 15.33

OAKLEY ASP WORLD PRO JUNIOR QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:

QF 1: Jack Freestone (AUS) 14.10 def. Nat Young (USA) 13.57

QF 2: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 13.83 def. Conner Coffin (USA) 11.76

QF 3: Mitch Crews (AUS) 18.23 def. Kiron Jabour (HAW) 17.86

QF 4: Dale Staples (ZAF) 18.06 def. Evan Thompson (USA)

Ends

Issued on behalf of:

Billabong South Africa
Contact: Brendon Kegel
Telephone: +27 (0) 42 200 2747
Email: brendon.kegel@billabong.co.za

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax: +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile: +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

South Africa’s Dale Staples has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Oakley ASP World Pro Junior in Bali, defeating the No. 3 seed Granger Larsen from Hawaii in their Round 4 heat held in epic two metre barreling waves at Keramas in Bali earlier today.

Staples, 19, from St Francis Bay continued his momentum from yesterday when he posted the highest single ride (9.80 out of 10) and combined two wave heat tally (16.63 out of 20) of the day while dispatching compatriot Chad du Toit (Berea, Durban) in their Round 3 match up.

In today’s outstanding conditions Staples posted a heat tally of 16.07 to oust Larsen and become the last of the seven ASP Africa members still in contention in the event after Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay) was eliminated in his Round 4 clash by Caio Ibelli (BRA).

The event is the first of two on the inaugural ASP World Pro Junior Tour which will crown the ASP World Junior Champion in Sydney, Australia in January.

All the action can be followed LIVE at http://oakleyprojunior.com starting at approximately 2am South African time daily.

OAKLEY ASP WORLD PRO JUNIOR ROUND 4 RESULTS (MEN’S):

Heat 1:Nat Young (USA) 18.96 def. Tyler Newton (HAW) 15.50
Heat 2: Jack Freestone (AUS) 18.47 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 15.24
Heat 3: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 15.40 def. Shaun Joubert (ZAF) 9.17
Heat 4: Conner Coffin (USA) 18.26 def. Krystian Kymerson (BRA) 2.83
Heat 5: Mitch Crews (AUS) 11.66 def. Charles Martin (GLP) 6.97
Heat 6: Kiron Jabour (HAW) 18.16 def. Alex Smith (HAW) 16.70
Heat 7: Dale Staples (ZAF) 16.07 def. Granger Larsen (HAW) 15.46
Heat 8: Evan Thompson (USA) 13.50 def. Davey Cathels (AUS) 10.47

OAKLEY ASP WORLD PRO JUNIOR QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS (MEN’S):

QF 1: Nat Young (USA) vs. Jack Freestone (AUS)
QF 2: Caio Ibelli (BRA) vs. Conner Coffin (USA)
QF 3: Mitch Crews (AUS) vs. Kiron Jabour (HAW)
QF 4: Dale Staples (ZAF) vs. Evan Thompson (USA)

Digital Photographs:
High-resolution digital images for newspapers and Internet sites are available via the ASP Digital Images Department please contact kirstin@aspworldtour.com

Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa
Contact: Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel: 021 534 5738
Email: colin@aspafrica.com

Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 21 783 4965
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Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP: The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the recognized world governing body of professional surfing and has been crowning surfing’s undisputed World Champions since 1976. The ASP sanctions and crowns World Champions for the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, ASP World Junior Tour, ASP World Longboard and Masters Championships.

The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts and other media platforms. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Japan, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

Mr Price SA National Junior Surfing Championships
Surfing South Africa’s premier national junior tournament.
Southern Peninsula, Western Cape
Tuesday September 28 to Sunday October 3.

Western Province dominate the Mr Price SA Junior Championships at Long Beach, Kommetjie and win the Freedom Cup by a record margin

The 2010 Western Province Junior surfing team maintained a unique record when they won the Freedom Cup at the Mr Price SA Junior Championships which was completed in small but contestable surf at Long Beach, Kommetjie today (Sunday October 3).

Since 1965 no province surfing team has defeated WP in a national tournament in the Cape Peninsula and this year’s WP Junior maintained that record in fine style, winning the Freedom Cup, capturing all four age-division trophies and producing more finalists and individual champions than any of the other provinces.

A resurgent Eastern Province side was second in the interprovincial team event while defending champions Central KZN had to settle for third place. The Boland Juniors showed their up-and-coming talent with a strong fourth place finish while Border was fifth and Southern KZN came fifth.

The Southern KZN surfers had something to celebrate though as they received the Best Team trophy which is awarded to the province which displays the best team spirit over the six days of competition.

The SA Development Academy Team made up of surfers from the annual SA Grommet Games and supported at this event by Sport and Recreation SA, posted its best ever result by ending seventh  ahead of Southern Cape and Zululand.

The venue for the annual South African Junior Championships rotates between the provinces affiliated to Surfing South Africa and, after eight years, 2010 was Western Province’s turn to host the premier junior tournament on the national calendar.

Possible venues for this six day marathon contest ranged from Muizenberg to Long Beach with Noordhoek and Witsands possibilities. Long Beach played ball and ended up hosting all six days of competition in conditions that ranged from 4 to 6 foot to surf that was just contestable at 2 foot.

The Peninsula provided six perfect spring days, there was some top class surfing which included a 10 point ride by 12 year old Jordy Maree of WP and the 250 surfers will remember this event as one of the best ever.

In addition to interprovincial team competition there were also eight individual titles, medals and trophies as well as three green national blazers at stake.

WP captain Matt Bromley showed the way for the team in blue and white when he won the Under 20 Boys title beating Boland surfer Jaco Steyn into second place. Defending champion Shawn Dennis of central KZN was third and Border’s Kyle Galloway was fourth.

Honours also went WP’s way in the Under 20 girls division where Tanika Hoffman beat her good friend Faye Zoetmulder by 0.25 points to take the title. Alice Mc Gregor of Border was third and Kirsty Delport of Central KZN came fourth.

Mikey February added a third trophy to the WP stash when he won the Under 17 title and became the first surfer in the contest to qualify for the 2011 SA Junior Team which will compete in the ISA World Junior Championships in Peru. Rigard Smith of Boland produced his best result in posting a second place while Steven Sawyer of EP and Davey Brand of WP were third and fourth respectively.

In the Under 17 girls division the brilliant Central KZN star Sarah Baum was unstoppable as she bagged the trophy and her spot in the 2011 SA Junior team. Central KZN teammate Heidi Palmboom was second, Emma Smith of EP was third and Sabrina Scott of WP fourth.

Under 15 Boys honours and a spot in the 2011 SA Junior team went to Dylan Lightfoot of EP who fought off a three pronged WP attack in this final to take the trophy and the spoils. Benji Brand came second ahead of his WP teammates Brandon Benjamin and Max Armstrong.

EP clinched the double in this division when Gina Smith won the Under 15 girl’s title in fine style. Shannon McGee of Southern KZN was second, Nina Woerman of WP came third and Carryn MacNicol of Central KZN was fourth.

The youngest surfers in this year’s championships were the competitors in the Under 13 girls and boys’ divisions. The youngest was 10 years old, there were three or four 11 year olds and there were at least four 12 year olds in the two finals.

Fittingly, the Surfer of the Contest was Chanelle Botha of Southern KZN who scored an impressive 14 out of 20 to win the Under 13 title to add to her 2009 Under 12 gold medal. Boland’s Anoush Zakarian came second, Ruth Armstrong of WP was third and Cana Foster of Central KZN came fourth.

Only one other surfer could have been in the running for the Surfer of the Contest award and that was Under 13 Boys champion Jordy Maree of WP. Having posted a 10 point ride in his semi final this incredibly talented 12 year old finished his contest in style by scoring a massive 18.75 out of 20 to win the title. Two Boland surfers, Steffen Burrows and Adin Masencamp, added value to the final to finish second and third respectively while another WP star, Donovan Wichman, came fourth.

Brandon Benjamin of WP was awarded the Most Improved surfer trophy for his consistent performance throughout the event.

The event was first held in 1996 and is the most important contest for junior surfers in South Africa. It not only determines National Champions in the Under 20, Under 17, Under 15 and Under 13 boys and girls age divisions but also determines the winning provincial team and divisional champions each year.

The Final results are available on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za 

FULL RESULTS

U20 BOYS
1. MATTHEW BROMLEY (WP)
2. JACO STEYN (BOL)
3. SHAWN DENNIS (CENTRAL KZN)
4. KYLE GALLOWAY (BOR)

U20 GIRLS
1. TANIKA HOFFMAN (WP)
2. FAYE ZOETMULDER (EP)
3. ALICE MCGREGOR (BOR)
4. KIRSTY DELPORT (CENTRAL KZN)

U17 BOYS
1. MICHAEL FEBRUARY (WP)
2. RIGARD SMIT (BOL)
3. STEVEN SAWYER (EP)
4. DAVEY BRAND (WP)

U17 GIRLS
1. SARAH BAUM (KZN)
2. HEIDI PALMBOOM (CENTRAL KZN)
2. EMMA SMITH (EP)
3. SABRINA SCOTT (WP)

U15 BOYS
1. DYLAN LIGHTFOOT (EP)
2. BENJI BRAND (WP)
3. BRANDON BENJAMIN (WP)
4. MAX ARMSTRONG (WP)

U15 GIRLS
1. GINA SMITH (EP)
2. SHANNON MCGEE (EP)
3. NINA WOERMANN (WP)
4. CARRYN MCNICOL (CENTRAL KZN)

U13 BOYS
1. JORDY MAREE (WP)
2. STEFFEN BURROWS (BOL)
3. ADIN MASENCAMP (BOL)
4. DONOVAN WICHMANN (WP)

U13 GIRLS
1. CHANELLE BOTHA (SKZN)
2. ANOUSH ZAKARIAN (BOL)
3. RUTH ARMSTRONG (WP)
4. CANA FOSTER (CENTRAL KZN)

SURFER OF THE CONTEST 
CHANELLE BOTHA (SOUTHERN KZN)

MOST IMPROVED SURFER
BRANDON BENJAMIN (WP) 

TEAM SPIRIT AWARD
SOUTHERN KWAZULU-NATAL 

DIVISION AWARDS

U20

WP 12,770
BOLAND 11,170
CENTRAL KZN 11,036
BORDER 10,180
EP 10,010
SOUTHERN KZN 7,440
SOUTHERN CAPE 4,920
ZULULAND 4,360
SA ACADEMY 2,580

U17

WP 12,996
CKZN 11,540
BOL 11,096
EP 11,090
BOR 9,040
SKZN 8,930
SA ACADEMY 7,746
SCAPE 5,710
ZULULAND 1,440

U15

WP 13,276
EP 13,020
CKZN 10,600
BOL 9,520
BOR 9,126
SKZN 9,056
SA ACADEMY 7,130
SCAPE 2,800
ZULULAND 2,210

U13

WP 4,070
BOL 4,040
CKZN 2,890
EP 2,830
SKZN 2,800
BOR 2,620
ZULULAND 2,455
SA ACADEMY 2,355
SCAPE 1,610

FREEDOM CUP (INTERPROVINCIAL TROPHY)

1. WESTERN PROVINCE   43,112
2. EASTERN PROVINCE    37,390
3. CENTRAL KZN     36,066
4. BOLAND     35,826
5. BORDER    30,966
6. SOUTHERN KZN   28,226
7. SA DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY TEAM  19,811
8. SOUTHERN CAPE 15,040
9. ZULULAND   10,465

Surfing South Africa is recognised as the governing body for the sport by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and is a member of the International Surfing Association (ISA).

The 2010 Mr Price SA Junior Surfing Championships was supported by the Lotto and Sport and Recreation South Africa.

Ends

Compiled by:

Robin de Kock
General Manager
Surfing South Africa

All media enquiries to SSA at 082 454 1149

Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

 

Long Beach in Kommetjie, the Cape Peninsula’s most popular contest venue, has played its part on the first three days of the Mr Price SA Junior Championships.

Perfect four to five foot waves and ideal offshore conditions on days one, two and three of this premier event gave locals and visitors alike a real chance to shine and post some high quality scores.

With conditions at optimum, contest organizers worked through the rounds and with just three days to go the four surfers who will contest the U20 Final have already been determined.

They are Western Province captain Matt Bromley, former Under 20 champion Shawn Dennis of Central KZN, Mr Price team rider Jaco Steyn of Boland and Border’s Kyle Galloway.

There are plenty more heats to go in the other divisions however and with conditions set to remain good until Sunday contest officials are running heats until after 5pm.

In the race for the coveted team title and the Freedom Cup, Boland has made a strong showing along with hosts Western Province and defending champions Central KZN.

The 2010 SA Junior championships features teams from eight provinces plus an SA Development Academy team which is supported by Sport and Recreation SA.

By tomorrow (Saturday) there will only be 30 or so heats to run and the contest will conclude at around midday on Sunday.

Details of the venue are available on the WP INFOLINE at 082 233 4001 and results and upcoming heats are available on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Surfing South Africa is recognised as the governing body for the sport by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and is a member of the International Surfing Association (ISA).

Ends 

Compiled by:
Robin de Kock
General Manager
Surfing South Africa

All media enquiries to SSA at 082 454 1149

Distributed by:
Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

The 2010 Mr Price South African Junior Surfing Championships featuring nine teams of the country’s top junior boys and girls gets under way in the Southern Peninsula with the opening function in Kommetjie today ( Monday September 27).

The 250 or so surfers participating in the 15th edition of this premier Surfing South Africa tournament represent eight provinces and include a team of surfers who will compete for the South African Development Academy Team.

The Cape Peninsula last hosted the South African Junior Championships in 2002 and this year’s event will be only the third time in 15 years that the tournament will take place in the Cape.

From 1996, when the first SA Junior Championships took place in a rain soaked Durban, to 2003 the team from Central KZN dominated the championships winning eight team titles in a row. In East London in 2004 Western Province broke the chokehold the Durban surfers had on the title and claimed the first of their four victories in a row.

In 2008 at St Mikes, Central KZN reclaimed the crown from WP by the narrowest of margins and then defended the title in style at Nahoon Reef in East London last year. Western Province has won every national championship held in Cape Town since 1966 so there is plenty at stake next week as the WP class of 2010 fight hard to maintain that tradition and keep the Freedom Cup in the Cape this year.

Apart from WP and Central KZN, Eastern Province, last year’s hosts Border and WP’s next door neighbours Boland all have plenty of strong surfers across the divisions.

Southern KZN will be one of the most significant teams at this year’s contest as their side clearly shows the success of their transformation programmes. Southern Cape, Zululand and the South African Junior Development Academy Team, which is supported by Sport and Recreation SA, make up the balance of the competition.

The opening function of the 2010 Mr Price SA National Junior Championships takes place at 7pm on Monday evening in the Kommetjie Primary School. The heats get under way at 8.30 am on Tuesday and the finals and Award Ceremony will take place on completion of the last Final on Sunday October 3.

Heat updates will be available daily on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Surfing South Africa is recognised as the governing body for the sport by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and Sport and Recreation SA. Surfing South Africa is a member of the International Surfing Association (ISA), the world’s governing body for surfing.

 Ends

Compiled by:
Robin de Kock
General Manager
Surfing South Africa
0824541149

All media enquiries to Surfing South Africa

surfingsouthafrica@gmail.com

082 454 1149

Distributed by:
Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
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Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

The South African Masters surfing team netted a six medal haul at the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship which concluded in clean, well shaped two metre waves at Santa Catalina in Panama yesterday (Saturday).

The medals comprised three Gold, one Silver and two Bronze with Heather Clark (Women’s Masters) and Chris Knutsen (Grand Kahunas) successfully defending their titles while Andrew Banks (Masters) won his first ISA World title. Brothers Andre and David Malherbe earned Bronze in the Grand Masters and Kahunas respectively while Team South Africa took the Silver medal behind Australia in the team event.

The battle for the team title went down to the last heat of the event, the Masters final, where despite Banks winning the Gold, the two Aussies finished second and third to dash SA’s hopes of a third consecutive Team Gold by a mere 260 points – 10 456 to 10 196.

An elated Banks (Port Shepstone) clinched the Masters (o/35) title with an outstanding heat total of 17.57 out of 20, taking the lead in the final with an 8.50 and then grabbing the Gold with a 9.07 that left Silver medalist Brett Banister needing 8.98 while fellow Aussie Dean Hall and defending two-time champion Juan Ashton (PUR) were combo’d.

“I feel extremely happy, this is the reason why I came here,” Banks said. “This is what I was praying for, and I was not going to be happy with second place. It was a tough final and I gave it my all for my late brother, Robbie - I surf for him.”

Heather Clark (Port Shepstone) has won every heat she has entered in her two appearances in the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship. She completed remarkable recovery from a life-threatening motor accident last October to secure her second consecutive ISA Women’s Masters (o/35) Gold medal. In the final she scored 17.86 (a pair of 8.93 rides) that left Andrea Lopes (BRA) in second, Patricia Rossi (TAH) in third and Sandra English (AUS) in fourth.

“It was hard because all the surfers in the final are really good and we all got waves over the 6.00 point range,” Clark said after being mobbed by her teammates on the beach. “I had support in the water, at the beach and I wanted really bad to get my second world title.” 

Durban’s Chris Knutsen won his second successive Grand Kahunas (o/50) ISA World Title and third Gold medal overall after winning the Kahunas division in the 2007 edition in Puerto Rico. The 53 year-old displayed smart wave selection and his customary huge manoeuvres to post the only perfect 10-point ride of the entire event in yesterday’s final.  Backing that up with an 8.5, ‘Knutto’ left Javier Huarcaya (PER) in second, Kenneth Myers (PAN) in third and Javier Gorbea (PUR) in fourth. 

“I came here trying to win a third ISA World Title, a hat trick, and I managed to pull it off,” an emotional Knutsen said. “I think God gave me the waves as it was amazing to get a 10. I caught the wave and it looked like it was going to be a good one.  I just rode it the best I could and luckily it worked out well for me. I am so happy, this happens because if you really love what you do, and I love surfing, you can only get better.”

Andre Malherbe (East London) completed a gutsy run in the event, placing third in the Grand Masters (0/40) division behind three-time Gold medalist Juan Ashton (PUR) and Glen Pringle (AUS) after dropping into the repecharge rounds early on and having to battle through six heats of cutthroat competition just to reach the Grand final.

Brother David Malherbe (Coffee Bay) also earned a Bronze medal, one better than his Copper medal in Puerto Rico, when he placed third in the Kahunas (o/45) final yesterday, behind Rod Baldwin, Australia’s only individual Gold medalist, and Sergio Penna (BRA).

Wayne Monk (East London) placed equal 9^th overall in the Masters division, Rob Moore-Boyle finished 7^th in the Grand Masters and fellow Durbanite and SA team captain Marc Wright just missed out on the final and the opportunity to defend the Kahunas title he won in Peru in 2008, placing 6^th overall in Panama

The Closing Ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, as well as the Vice President, Minister of Tourism and Minister of Economy, who assisted ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, in awarding the medals.

Showing great interest in surfing, the President of Panama told the visiting surfers, “Tell everybody about the perfect waves we have and come here, you are more than welcome,” before ensuring the ISA President committed to bringing another international event to Panama in the summer of 2011.

ISA President Fernando Aguerre closed the event by saying, “I want to thank the Panamanian people, the government and the private sector for their commitment with this sport. This is the most exciting part of the event, the medals ceremony, but it is also the part when we remember everything, the rainy days, the wind, the great waves, the broken boards, and the emotions. We want to let all the Panamanians know that we leave your country with our hearts filled with great memories.”
 
The ISA World Masters Surfing Championship will be held again next year in a soon to be announced location.  

2010 ISA World Masters Surfing Championships

Santa Catalina, Panama

Team Medallists
Gold: Australia – 10456 points
Silver: South Africa – 10196 points
Bronze: Brazil – 8770 points
Copper: Puerto Rico – 8684 points

Masters
Gold: Andrew Banks (RSA)
Silver: Brett Bannister (AUS)
Bronze: Dean Hall (AUS)
Copper: Juan Ashton (PUR)

Grand Masters
Gold: Juan Ashton (PUR)
Silver: Glen Pringle (AUS)
Bronze: Andre Malherbe (RSA)
Copper: Ricardo Villanueva (PUR)

Kahunas
Gold: Rod Baldwin (AUS)
Silver: Sergio Penna (BRA)
Bronze: David Malherbe (RSA)
Copper: Martín Jerí (PER)

Grand Kahunas
Gold: Chris Knutsen (RSA)
Silver: Javier Huarcaya (PER)
Bronze: Kenneth Myers (PAN)
Copper: Javier Gorbea (PUR)

Women Masters
Gold: Heather Clark (RSA)
Silver: Andrea Lopes (BRA)
Bronze: Patricia Rossi (TAH)
Copper: Sandra English (AUS)

Final Team Standings:
1: AUSTRALIA
2: SOUTH AFRICA
3: BRAZIL
4: PUERTO RICO
5: PERU
6: VENEZUELA
7: ARGENTINA
8: FRANCE
9: PANAMA
10: COSTA RICA
11: MEXICO
12: ITALY
13: URUGUAY
14: REP.DOMINICAN
15: JAMAICA
16: NEW ZEALAND
17: GUATEMALA
18: TAHITI
19: EL SALVADOR
20: GERMANY
21: IRELAND

Videos, photos, results and contest news in both English and Spanish can be found at www.panamaisaworldmasters.com. Further details are also available through the ISA Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts.

The SA Masters Team preparations and attendance at the 2010 ISA World Masters Championships was made possible thanks to a R150 000 grant from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF).

Ends

ATTENTION MEDIA
Daily high quality pictures and TV resolution video highlights for editorial use, rights free, are  available here:
 
Host: ftp.isasurf.org
User: isasurf_wmsc
Password: download1

About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980.  

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 60 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. The President is Fernando Aguerre and the four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Mike Gerard (USA) and Karín Sierralta (Peru).

Issued on behalf of:

Surfing South Africa

Contact:            Robin de Kock, General Manager
Cell:                  082 454 1149
Email:               surfingsouthafrica@gmail.com

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

Heather Clark and Chris Knutsen closed to within one heat of earning medals at the ISA World Masters Surfing Championships in Panama yesterday as South Africa continued its push towards winning the team title for the third consecutive time.

Clark, the defending Women’s Masters World Champion, dominated her Round 2 heat in the solid two to three metre waves at Santa Catalina yesterday and has now posted the two highest heat tallies and three highest single ride scores in the division.

“I was extremely nervous because I know Andrea Lopes from previous years and she’s a really good competitor. I tried to get a first wave fast so I could relax. Once I did that I got into a bit of a rhythm and made it through,” said Clark. 

The 39 year-old from Port Shepstone has now reached the final of the winner’s stream in the Women’s Masters. A first or second place finish in her next heat will guarantee her a medal and the opportunity to clinch a second ISA World title.

Knutsen, winner of the Kahunas (o/45) title in Puerto Rico in 2007 and the Grand Kahunas (o/50) in the last edition of this event in Peru in 2008, is in the same position as Clark after cruising to victory in his Round 2 Grand Kahunas heat yesterday.

While Team SA did ‘lose’ its first team member to the repecharge rounds on Day 3 when Andre Malherbe (East London) paced third in his Grand Masters (o/40) heat, they still have more competitors in the winners bracket (seven) than any other team. Australia is next with six surfers and Brazil with five.

Robert Moore-Boyle (Durban) in the Grand Masters and team captain Marc Wright (Durban) in the Kahunas placed second to advance to Round 3 of their respective divisions. David Malherbe (Coffee Bay) was SA’s star of the day, racking up his second total of more than 15 points out of 20 to win his Kahunas heat.

The Masters (o/35), where Andrew Banks (Port Shepstone) and Wayne Monk (EL) are safely through to Round 3, did not compete yesterday.

Andre Malherbe, in Heat 3 of Grand Masters repecharge Round 2, will be the only South African in action on Wednesday in Panama as the organisers run repecharge heats that see any surfer finishing outside the top in a heat eliminated from the event.

ISA World Masters Surfing Championships

Schedule for Wednesday 1 September (South Africans in Brackets)

Grand Masters Repecharge 1
Kahunas Repecharge 2
Masters Repecharge 2
Grand Masters Repecharge 2       (Andre Malherbe – Heat 3)

All the action from the event, including live webcasts, daily videos, photos, results and contest news in both English and Spanish can be found at www.panamaisaworldmasters.com. The event is scheduled to start at 6.30am local time daily. (1.30pm SA time).

Event updates are also available through the ISA Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts.

The SA Masters Team preparations and attendance at the 2010 ISA World Masters Championships is made possible thanks to a R150 000 grant from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF).

Ends

ATTENTION MEDIA
Daily high quality pictures and TV resolution video highlights for editorial use, rights free, will be made available here:
 
Host: ftp.isasurf.org
User: isasurf_wmsc
Password: download1

About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980.  

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 60 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. The President is Fernando Aguerre and the four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Mike Gerard (USA) and Karín Sierralta (Peru).

Issued on behalf of:

Surfing South Africa

Contact:            Robin de Kock, General Manager
Cell:                  082 454 1149
Email:               surfingsouthafrica@gmail.com

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

Andre Malherbe set up South Africa’s bid to defend team title at the ISA World Masters Surfing Championships in perfect fashion by posting the highest scores on Day 1 of the event staged in reeling two metre surf at Santa Catalina in Panama on Sunday.

Malherbe led throughout his Round 1 Grand Masters (over 40) heat, finishing with counting scores of 8.50, the highest of the day, and 6.83 (both out of 10) for a heat tally of 15.33 out of 20, also the day’s highest. The East Londoner left his opponents combo’d and needing to improve on both their scores to overtake him at the final siren.

Malherbe advanced to Round 2 of the qualifying stream in the double elimination format being used at the event, along with compatriot Robert Moore-Boyle (Durban), who comfortably won his low-scoring opening encounter.

Team SA’s strength in depth was further demonstrated when Wayne Monk (East London) and Andrew Banks (Port Shepstone) dominated their opening heats in the Masters (o/35) division. Monk tied Dean hall (AUS) in recording the highest single ride score of the division, 7.83, and also claimed the second highest heat total, 14.0, while Banks earned the fifth highest heat total.

After three days of torrential rain and onshore winds that turned the contest site in the rural Pacific coast village into a mud bath, the first day of competition enjoyed great weather and overhead surf for the 120 competitors from 20 countries participating in the world’s biggest contest for surfers aged 35-and-over.

South Africa, Australia, Brazil and Puerto Rico were the only countries to see all four of their competitors remain in the qualifying stream after the completion of Round 1 of the Masters and Grand Masters divisions.

Today’s schedule sees Round 1 action for the Women’s Masters (o/35), Kahunas (o/45) and Grand Kahunas (o/50) where SA’s Heather Clark (Port Shepstone), team captain Marc Wright and Chris Knutsen (both Durban) will start their respective campaigns to defend the ISA World titles they won at the previous edition of the event in Peru in 2008.

All the action from the event, including live webcasts, daily videos, photos and contest news in both English and Spanish can be found at www.panamaisaworldmasters.com. The event is scheduled to start at 6.30am local time daily. (1.30pm SA time).

Event updates are also available through the ISA Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts.

The SA Masters Team preparations and attendance at the 2010 ISA World Masters Championships is made possible thanks to a R150 000 grant from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF).

Ends

Photo: ISA / Gatica

ATTENTION MEDIA
Daily high quality pictures and TV resolution video highlights for editorial use, rights free, will be made available here:
 
Host: ftp.isasurf.org
User: isasurf_wmsc
Password: download1

About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980.  

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 60 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided over by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since.  The ISA’s four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Mike Gerard (USA) and Karín Sierralta (Peru).

Issued on behalf of:

Surfing South Africa
Contact:            Robin de Kock, General Manager
Cell:                  082 454 1149
Email:               surfingsouthafrica@gmail.com

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

World Champion Marc Wright of Durban North will captain the South African Masters Team at the ISA World Masters Championships in Panama. The 49 year old was named captain of the team at the recent training camp in Coffee Bay.

Team South Africa are the defending World Champions having won the team title at both previous World Masters events in Puerto Rico in 2007 and Peru in 2008.

The team will make the long journey to Panama in Central America on Monday (August 23) after a seven week wait for their visas. According to team coach Ant Brodowicz the eight surfers in the side are fit and raring to show the world why they are the champions.

The team contains three World Champions in Wright, Heather Clark of Port Shepstone and Chris Knutsen of Durban. This trio are joined by regular World Masters Championship finalists David and Andre Malherbe of East London, former SA Masters Champion Andrew Banks of Port Shepstone and new Masters caps Wayne Monk of East London and Rob Moore Boyle of Westville.

Over 160 surfers from 17 nations will be competing in the ISA World Masters Championships which begin on August 27 and end on August 4.

The SA Masters Team preparations and attendance at the 2010 ISA World Masters Championships is made possible thanks to a R150 000 grant from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF).

2010 South African Masters Surfing Team
Over 35 (Masters) : Wayne Monk (Border), Andrew Banks (SKZN)
Over 40 (Grandmasters) : Andre Malherbe (Border), Robert Moore Boyle (CKZN)
Over 45 (Kahunas) : David Malherbe (Border), Marc Wright (CKZN)
Over 50 (Grandkahuna) : Chris Knutsen ( CKZN)
Women Over 35 : Heather Clark (SKZN)

Coach : Antoni Brodowicz (SKZN)
Manager : Dave Fish (Border)

Ends

Compiled by

Robin de Kock
General Manager
Surfing South Africa
082 454 1149

Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za