Western Province breaks drought to win SA Bodyboarding Champs
posted on 10th October 2018
Western Province Bodyboarding Association (WPBA) last won the coveted South African Champs Trophy in 1991, 27 years later and it is again residing in the cold waters of Cape Town.
After 5 days of intense competition, with bodyboarders competing in 8 separate divisions representing 5 teams from various provincial regions including Cape Winelands and previous multiple championship winners eThekwini Bodyboarding Association however, the team from Western Province, triumphed ahead of them all.
With WPBA hosting the event, the call was made to have a roaming venue to allow for both the best possible conditions each day of the competition and to take full advantage of the various surf spots on the magnificent Cape Town coastline.
Right from Day 1 as the contest kicked off at well-known surf spot, Horsetrails - just passed Big Bay- the level of riding was fierce. The first 2 rounds, across all divisions, were non-elimination round. The riders were looking for the best combined score to push them through to the knockout stages. Some playing it safe and making sure they scored what was required and others going for broke from the starting siren.
After the completion of Day 1 the contest moved venue to Melkbosstrand, where with highly favourable conditions, the contest remained for the rest of the week. Even the howling South Easter couldn't dampen the atmosphere down on the beach and all the riders gave it their all, regardless of the various waves on offer.
On the final day of competition, Western Province were in a commanding position with finalists in every division filling 4 of 4 spots in the Boys final and 3 of the 4 spots in both the Junior and Pro final. The Pro final was the last heat of the final day and supporters on the beach were in for an amazing display of competitive bodyboarding of the highest level. The 3 Western Province Pro riders stamped their authority at a local spot and ensured maximum points were awarded. An early stand out in the 25-minute final was Corban Warrington from WP who set the early pace with a 6-point ride followed up by a high 7 point ride which saw him hold the lead for a large majority of the final. But as they say, it's not over till it's over and Marc Webster from the Cape Winelands Bodyboarding team managed to gather a second high-scoring ride to back up his 9-point earlier ride to take the title of South African Champ in the Pro division.
It was a long and gruelling week of highly competitive bodyboarding across all divisions. The culmination of hard work and effort from all the riders, supporters and organisers was celebrated at a prize-giving held at The Italian Club in Milnerton. Packed with riders, friends and family, everyone cheered throughout the evenings announcements as the overall winners were announced to the packed room that resounded with chants of "Province, Province, Province" as the Western Province Bodyboarding team held the "Fishman" Trophy aloft after a 27 year long hiatus.
The end of a long week of hard work and effort paid off as the curtains closed on the 32
nd Annual SA Bodyboarding Championships, proudly brought to you by the support and sponsorship of the South African Bodyboarding Association (SABA), Pick n Pay, Berman Brothers Group and Reef South Africa.
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