Local riders standout at the Wedge Classic
posted by Pat Harris on 21st July 2004
SPONSORS: FIRST NATIONAL BANK PLETT; OCEAN LIFE; CUSTOM X AND ROBBERG SEAFOODS
CO SPONSORS: WELDON KAYA; ARNETTE SUNGLASSES; REEF WETSUITS; SONY PLAYSTATION; RED BULL
EXPRESSION SPONSOR: EVALS
This year being the 4A Wedge Classic and the biggest event of the year attracted a record of 159 riders.Along with all the riders came the families and friends to crowd the beaches of Plett. The weather was perfect and the waves and winds played to our advantage. The level of riding throughout the contest was outstanding, with boys as young as 11yrs old and bullies older than 40 ripping it up at the Wedge.
There were standouts in every division, namely Terence Peters in the u/12 division really made a big name for himself by riding with perfect style and confidence to take this years title.In the pro division local boys Sampi Kamffer (defeating S.A.B.A champ Sacha Specker in the semifinal) and Vaughn Harris showed the crowds why they deserved to be in the final, with a "no holding back" approach on the rest of the competitors. Southern Cape and National Team rider Vaughn looked as if there was nothing that was going to get in his way of winning the 2004 King of the Wedge title. Winning all his heats up to and including the final showed that he was a deserving winner. Another local boy Cobus Oosthuizen stunned the crowd with fluent riding, causing some big upsets though the event, to make the semi finals. EP rider Marc Jucker was another finalist showing off his talents and giving the other finalists a "good ride" for the title.
The highest display of riding in the Women’s division was seen, where big rolls and barrel rides were presented to the spectators and judges alike. Standouts in this division were EP’s Pamela Bowren and local lass Lyndall Pells.
Sacha Specker did well to take the dropknee title from Simon Hagen, who was eliminated in the ¼ finals, by the other riders making up the final, Wesley Fischer and Vaughn. Junior rider from WP, Daniel Worsley was the rider to fill the fourth slot. Local rider, Wayne Craig who had a good run up to the semi finals was pipped by Sacha and Wesley to end 7th in this division.
Local clothing company, Evals, made a break in the industry by putting up a sponsorship for the "Expression Session". Twenty riders were selected and two teams of ten rode against each other with the 1st and 2nd placings advancing to a 4 man final. Current no 1 Junior rider, Grant Lee from Southern Natal really impressed the judging panel with riding that is top class and in line with the Pro division. Other riders making this final was another Southern Natal rider, Darren Halse and local boys Sampi and Vaughn. This was the highest scoring heat of the event with explosive and perfect "text book" riding by all. The only ten’s across the board during the contest were scored by Vaughn.
A big thank you must go to First National Bank for increasing their sponsorship, which enabled this contest to be the biggest in terms of attracting riders.
Other thanks must go to SABA, Plett Municipality, Plett Ski-boat club, Steers and Logic Bodyboard magazine.
Final Results were as follows:
Boys u/12- Terence Pieters
- Bradley Moys
- Shane Maasdorp
- Andrew Raath
Girls u/16- Jocelyn Norton
- Geline Derbyshire
- Liezl von Vollenhoven
- Natalie Marschal
Boys- Jaryd Enslin
- Emile von Vollenhoven
- Adam Morley
- Andries Starke
Women- Pamela Bowren
- Lyndall Pells
- Inge Pieters
- Robyn Sorenson
Mens- Hal Snyman
- Wayne Craig
- Ian Thurtell
- Martin Otto
Masters- Steve Polinski
- Mike van Huyssteen
- Riaan du Preez
Dropknee- Sacha Specker
- Wesley Fischer
- Vaughn Harris
- Daniel Worsley
Juniors- Mark Watts
- Wayne Smith
- Daniel Worsley
- Grant Lee
Pro- Vaughn Harris
- Marc Jucker
- Sampi Kamffer
- Jonathan Maritz
Expression Session- Vaughn Harris
- Grant Lee
- Sampi Kamffer
- Darren Halse
Judge- Vaughn Harris
- Darren Halse
- Candace Menton
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