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South Africa on track to claim historic third team title at ISA World Masters Surfing Championships

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:04:25 +0000

Team South Africa remains on track to claim a historic third successive team title at the ISA World Masters Surfing Championships in Panama after the completion of the fifth day of competition yesterday (Thursday) when the finalists in the qualifying streams of the Masters, Grand Masters and Kahunas were determined..

SA, along with Australia and Brazil, still has all eight team members in contention in their various divisions with four South Africans and Australians yet to lose a heat, followed by three each from Puerto Rico, Peru and Brazil and one each from Panama, France and Tahiti.

In the Masters (o/35) division, Andrew Banks (Port Shepstone) advanced to the qualifying final along with heat winner Carlos Santos (BRA). These two will be up against two-time defending champion Juan Ashton (PUR) and Dean Hall (AUS) who relegated Wayne Monk (East London) to the repecharge rounds.

The top two in the qualifying finals advance to the Grand Final where they are guaranteed medals and a shot at clinching the World Masters title.

In the Grand Masters (o/40) division, Rob Moore-Boyle (Durban) couldn’t find the high scoring waves and joined Andre Malherbe (East London) in Heat 2 of repecharge Round 4. Malherbe, who has fought his way through two rounds of sudden-death repecharge heats already, posted a strong second place finish behind defending champion Magoo de la Rosa (PER) yesterday.

David, the elder of the Malherbe brothers, continued his rich vein of form at the event by winning his Kahunas (o/45) Round 3 heat yesterday, finishing ahead of Rod Baldwin (AUS) with SA team captain and defending ISA World Kahunas champion Marc Wright (Durban) in third place.

Malherbe and Baldwin will take on Sergio Penna and Martin Jeri (PER) for a place in the Grand final while Wright now has to fight his way through three cutthroat repecharge heats to reach the Grand final and the opportunity to defend his crown.

Defending world champions Heather Clark (Port Shepstone) in the Women’s Masters (o/35) and Chris Knutsen (Durban) in the Grand Kahunas (o/50) did not need to compete yesterday as they have already reached the qualifying final in their respective divisions.

All of the 52 surfers from 14 countries remaining in the ISA World Masters Championships will be in action today. Action at Santa Catalina in Panama will get underway at 7:00am (2pm in South Africa) with the following schedule:

ISA World Masters Surfing Championships

Schedule for Friday 3 September (South Africans in Brackets)

2 HEATS MASTERS REPERCHARGE 4                       (Wayne Monk)
2 HEATS KAHUNAS REPERCHARGE 4                      (Marc Wright)
2 HEATS GRAND MASTERS REPERCHARGE 4       (Andre Malherbe & Rob Moore-Boyle)
1 HEATS MASTERS QUALIFY 4                                     (Andrew Banks)
1 HEATS KAHUNAS QUALIFY 4                                     (David Malherbe)
1 HEATS GRAND MASTERS QUALIFY 4
1 HEATS GRAND KAHUNA QUALIFY 3                       (Chris Knutsen)
1 HEATS WOMEN MASTERS QUALIFY 3                     (Heather Clark)
1 HEATS GRAND KAHUNAS REPERCHARGE 3
1 HEATS WOMEN MASTERS REPERCHARGE 3
1 HEATS MASTERS REPERCHARGE 5                       (TBD)
1 HEATS KAHUNAS REPERCHARGE 5                      (TBD)
1 HEATS GRAND MASTERS REPERCHARGE 5       (TBD)

Country standings after five days of competition:

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

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.

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

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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).

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Surfing South Africa

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

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PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
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Andre Malherbe stays in contention at ISA World Masters Surfing Championships in Panama

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:11:43 +0000

Andre Malherbe was the only South African surfer to compete on Day 4 of the ISA World Masters Surfing Championships in Panama on Wednesday as the organisers ran four rounds of repecharge heats that whittled down the field of surfers aged 35 or older from 107 to just 70.

The East Londoner took to the solid 2 to 2.5 metre waves with gusto and ran out a convincing winner in his Grand Masters repecharge Round 2 heat, earning scores of 6.0 and 6.33 (both out of 10) for a total of 12.33 that left his opponents from Venezuela, Italy and New Zealand floundering in his spray.

Malherbe, a copper medalist in the last ISA Masters event in Peru in 2008, is now through to repecharge Round 3 and still four heats away from a place in the Grand Final of the division.

Although only so-called ‘losers’ heats were run, the highest scores of the entire event were posted when Costa Rican Craig Scheiber was awarded 17.17 out of 20 (9.17 + 8.00) in his Grand Masters heat. And the man who is competing in two divisions at the event didn’t stop there, racking up 15.50 points when he contested his Kahunas heat.

Meanwhile in the Masters division, former ASP World Tour No. 3, Victor Ribas from Brazil, finally found his rhythm and was the best surfer of his age group, scoring 16.10 (8.67 + 7.43).

Team South Africa remains on track to retain the ISA World Team Champions title they have won at the previous two editions of the event and are leading the ratings along with Australia, Peru and Brazil who are the only nations with all their surfers still in contention.

Today’s action at Santa Catalina in Panama will get underway at 7:00am (@ 2pm in South Africa) with the following schedule:

ISA World Masters Surfing Championships

Schedule for Thursday 2 September (South Africans in Brackets)

Masters Qualify 3                            (Wayne Monk & Andrew Banks)
Kahunas Qualify 3                          (David Malherbe & Marc Wright)
Grand Masters Qualify 3               (Robert Moore-Boyle)
Masters Repecharge 3
Kahunas Repecharge 3
Grand Masters Repecharge 3       (Andre Malherbe)
Women’s Masters Repecharge 2
Grand Kahunas Repecharge 2

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.

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

Issued on behalf of:

Surfing South Africa

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

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Clark & Knutsen close in on medals at ISA World Masters Surfing Championships in Panama

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:54:19 +0000

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

Issued on behalf of:

Surfing South Africa

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

Compiled & Distributed by:

Team South Africa dominate day 2 of ISA World Masters Surfing Championships in Panama

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:25:57 +0000

Team South Africa, back-to-back Gold Medal winners of the previous two editions of the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship dominated Day 2 of the 2010 event in Panama on Monday, winning all eight heats they contested, posting many of the highest scores and ending the day the only one of the 21 nations competing that has all eight team members in the winners round.

The waves improved for the second day of the competition, reaching 12 feet (4 metres) at times, and in light offshore wind and sunny skies, SA’s supremacy today was stunning. Stellar performances from David Malherbe with a heat tally of 15.43 out of a possible 20.00, and former Kahunas and Grand Kahunas World Champion, Chris Knutsen with a single ride score of 9.5 out of a possible 10.00, were the highest recorded in the event so far.

Malherbe, from East London, who was a copper medalist in the ISA World Masters in Puerto Rico 2007, said, “I am happy about my performance and I am not feeling the pressure. I would like to do well in this event and I’m looking forward to tomorrow, it’s is going to be a great day.”

Knutsen, from Durban, was equally happy after winning his heat. “I have been fortunate to go to the last two ISA World Masters and it just seems to get better. It’s a huge mission to pull off a contest like this and there is a great team of people doing a fantastic job.”

South Africans also had Heather Clark (Port Shepstone), the defending ISA World Champion, and Wayne Monk (East London) posting the highest combined and single wave scores in the Women Masters and Masters divisions respectively.

Team captain Marc Wright (Durban) convincingly won his opening heat to join David Malherbe in Round 2 of the Kahunas while Andrew Banks (Port Shepstone) joined Monk in Round 3 of the Masters.

According to Surfline’s official forecast, the wave size will hold steady through the day Tuesday with possibly larger sets in the afternoon.

ISA World Masters Surfing Championships

Schedule for Tuesday 31 August (South Africans in Brackets)
Grand Masters Main Event R2 (Andre Malherbe + Robert Moore-Boyle)
Kahunas Main Event R2 (David Malherbe + Marc Wright)
Women Masters Main Event R2 (Heather Clark)
Women Masters Repecharge R1
Grand Kahuna Repecharge R1
Grand Kahuna Qualify R2 (Chris Knutsen)
Masters Repecharge R1
Kahunas Repecharge R1

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

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

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SA’s Andre Malherbe the top scorer on Day 1 of ISA World Masters Surfing Championships in Panama

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:47:59 +0000

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

Issued on behalf of:

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

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SA Team set to defend titles at ISA World Masters Surfing Championships in Panama

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:05:11 +0000

The South African Masters surfing team is set to defend four World titles at the ISA World Masters Surfing Championships which get underway with the Parade of Nations and Sands of the World ceremonies on the Pacific coast of Panama later today (Saturday).

After a 40-hour journey that saw the team fly to Sao Paulo, Panama City and Santiago before embarking on a 5-hour overland trip to the contest venue of Santa Catalina, the South Africans have enjoyed excellent surf in the 2-2.5 metre range for the past two days.

“We’ve settled in well at Santa Catalina, a very rustic village on the edge of the jungle with incredible rainfall – there was 200mm overnight,” said team captain Marc Wright, who will be defending the Kahunas (over 45 year-old) title he won at the last ISA Masters event in Peru in 2008.

“The spirit in the team is fantastic and it’s such an honour to be appointed captain given the amount of experience the other guys have. We’ll be going all out to bring home the gold,” the Durbanite added.

Andrew Banks (Port Shepstone), a semi-finalist and member of title winning 2008 SA team, concurred by saying, “Santa Catalina is an awesome place to compete and the wave is pretty tricky – big, powerful and perfect. We traveled for 40 hours to make it here and we intend to take the trophy home for the third consecutive year.”

The event features a veritable United Nations of surfing with more than 120 surfers, all 35-and-older, from 21 countries competing in the Masters (o/35), Grand Masters (o/40), Kahunas (o/40), Grand Kahunas (O/50) and Women’s Masters (o/35) divisions.

Team SA holds the proud tradition of having won the team gold medal at both the previous editions of the event – in Puerto Rico (2007) and Peru (2008). Along with Wright in the Kahunas, Chris Knutsen (Durban) will be defending the Grand Kahunas title (he was also crowned Kahunas champion in Puerto Rico) and Heather Clark (Port Shepstone) is the defending Women’s Masters champ.

The rest of the South African team is made up of Masters Wayne Monk (East London), Grand Masters Andre Malherbe (EL) and Robert Moore-Boyle (Durban) and David Malherbe (Coffee Bay), a two-time finalist in the Grand Masters division who has moved up to the Kahunas this year.

The team is coached for the third time by 1977 ISA World Champion Ant Brodowicz (Margate) and the manager is Dave Fish from East London.

On Saturday the international teams will march through the streets of Sona, 45 minutes from Santa Catalina, in the Parade of Nations before attending the Sands of the World and Opening ceremonies.

The first heats in the ISA World Masters Surfing Championships get underway at Santa Catalina on Sunday morning with Round 1 of both the Masters and Grand Masters scheduled for completion.

The event uses a double-elimination format that sees the top two in each four-man heat progress in the ‘qualifiers’ stream while those finishing outside the top two drop into the cutthroat ‘repecharge’ rounds where anything other than a top two placing means elimination from the event.

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

Issued on behalf of:

Surfing South Africa

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

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Marc Wright to captain the SA Masters Team at the ISA World Masters Surfing Championships in Panama

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:17:27 +0000

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

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South African Junior Invitation Team to compete in Reunion in October named

admin — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:15:35 +0000

Twelve surfers, a coach, judge and manager have been selected to compete in an international surfing contest in Reunion Island from October 14-16.

The SA Junior Invitation team is made up of surfers whose contest performances have impressed the national selectors over the last twelve months.

Heading the group is talented Jeffreys Bay surfer Bertie Stuurman who, along with SA Championship runner up Alice McGregor of East London, will surf in the U20 Boys and Girls Divisions respectively.

Jacob Mellish of Somerset West, the reserve for the Under 18 Division of the 2010 SA Junior surfing team, gets his chance to compete internationally along with ISA Scholarship recipient Papi Makinyane of Delft and top Durban surfer David Van Zyl.

The three Under 18 girls are 2010 SA Junior team reserve Holly Armstrong of Scarborough, fellow WP surfer Sabrina Scott of Glencairn and up and coming Nikita Kekana of Durban.

SA Grommet Games U16 Boys champion, Marshall Renz of Jeffreys Bay, will be joined by SSA Scholarship recipient Brandon Benjamin of Retreat while the U16 girls are SA Grommet Games winner Micaela Venter of Durban and talented Emma Smith of Jeffreys Bay.

Eastern Province Surfing Council stalwart Brian Abrahams has been appointed Manager, WP’s Craig Johnson will coach the team and Grant Arendse of Strandfontein will accompany the group as a Judge.

The tour by the SA Invitation Team is both a competitive visit to the volcanic island as well as a reciprocal cultural exchange. A group of surfers from Reunion visited Cape Town and Durban last year, competing in two separate events and staying with South African families.

The project is a major talent identification initiative and the trip is supported by funding from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.

Surfing South Africa is the governing body for the sport and is recognized by Sport and Recreation SA (SRSA). SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA). All South African teams are chosen by a selection committees appointed by the Board of Directors of Surfing South Africa.

Ends

Compiled by Robin de Kock
General Manager
Surfing South Africa
surfingsouthafrica@gmail.com
0824541149

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Current World champions Chris Knutsen, Marc Wright and Heather Clark included in SA Team for 2010 ISA World Masters Championships in Panama

admin — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:34:23 +0000

Surfing South Africa has announced the names of the 2010 South African Masters Team that will compete in the ISA World Masters Championships in Peru in August and September.

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).

Included in the side are Over 50 World Champion Chris Knutsen, Over 45 Champion Marc Wright (both Durban) and Heather Clark of Port Shepstone, the over 35 Women’s World Champion. All three were members of the South African team which won its second successive World Team title in Peru in 2008.

The balance of the team is made up of former two time SA Men’s champion and new cap Wayne Monk of Gonubie and 2009 SA Masters Champion Andrew Banks of Uvongo. Monk and Banks will compete in the Over 35 age group where Gary Van Wieringen of Warner Beach is the non travelling reserve.

Andre Malherbe of East London, who will represent the SA Masters Team for the fourth year in a row, and new cap Robert Moore Boyle of Westville compete in the Over 40 age group where Gareth Sepp of East London is the non travelling reserve.

Wright will be joined by multiple SA Champion and four time Masters team member David Malherbe of Coffee Bay in the Over 50 age group and Mike Brent of Border is the non travelling reserve.

2007 and 2008 World Champion Chris Knutsen will travel to Panama with Team Manager Dave Fish of East London as the reserve in this division.

Ant Brodowicz of Margate, the 1978 World Champion and the coach who guided the 2007 and 2008 SA Masters teams to victory at the respective World Championships and also coached the team in Namibia last year, will take on the coaching duties for the fourth year in a row.
Dave Fish, the Border Surfriders Association President who competed in the 2009 SA Masters team, will be the South African Team Manager .

The 2010 ISA World Masters Championships are scheduled to get under way on August 27 in Santa Catalina in Panama.

South Africa will be joined by the hosts, Panama, and 14 other countries at this international team event.

2010 South African Masters Surfing Team

Over 35 (Masters) : Wayne Monk (Border), Andrew Banks (SKZN) : Non travelling reserve : Gary van Wieringen (SKZN)

Over 40 (Grandmasters) : Andre Malherbe (Border), Robert Moore Boyle (CKZN) : non travelling reserve : Gareth Sepp (Border)

Over 45 (Kahunas) : David Malherbe (Border), Marc Wright (CKZN) : non travelling reserve : Mike Brent (Border)

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
surfingsouthafrica@gmail.com
0824541149
www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

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Dylan Lightfoot surfs to victory in New Zealand event

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:35:35 +0000

South African junior surfer Dylan Lightfoot stunned his Kiwi counterparts by clinching victory in the premier Under 16 boys division of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge at Mount Maunganui in New Zealand on Sunday.

Lightfoot, a member of the South African junior surfing team that achieved its best ever result of fourth in the recent ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in New Zealand in January, defeated the cream of the Kiwi juniors in the small but contestable 0.5 to 0.75 metre waves on offer at the venue of Tay Street.

“I struggled out there today. I am much bigger than Kiwi boys” commented the 15 year-old from Jeffreys Bay. “They were flying across the waves doing all these turns. I was just lucky to get that one wave and get a good score to push me into the lead.”

In the final Lightfoot battled to find high scoring rides in the small conditions, racking up a best score of 4.5 out of a possible 10 in the shore pound. However, late in the heat he finally latched on to a wave that ran down the beach and proceeded to hit the lip several times until he finished on the beach. The score came in at 8.5 points and that was enough to catapult him from third to first with a 13.0 point heat total.

Placing second in the final was Adam Grimson (Gis) who opted to surf up the beach by himself. The tactical move paid off for 20 minutes of the final after catching some long lefthanders but he couldn’t match the power of Lightfoot and had to settle for second. Dual finalist Dune Kennings (WGM) finished third while Sandy Bay surfer Patxi Scott-Arrieta finished the final in fourth place.

The New Zealand media reported the victory under the headlines ‘South African Stomps Opponents Into Submission’ and went to report ‘South African surfer Dylan Lightfoot came and conquered at the first event of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge ….. The lone South African contesting the event won the premier Under 16 Boys Division.’

Lightfoot, along with his family, has been in New Zealand for four weeks surfing breaks around New Zealand and also competing at the ISA World Junior Championships where he placed 19^th overall, the highest of the four SA boys in the U16 division

He added Billabong Grom series contest to his travels and from day one of the event became the favourite and one to beat. Lightfoot will also participate in the second leg of the series which takes place at Whangamata next weekend (12-14 February).

/ends

Issued on behalf of:

Robin de Kock
General Manager
Surfing South Africa
surfingsouthafrica@gmail.co.za
0824541149
www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

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