Township Bodyboarder's Dream Comes True
posted by Olivia Jones on 3rd April 2005
It was a dream come true for Malusi “Sheperd” Maphumulo (Bhekulwandle township) when not only did he get to see the lower south coast for the first time, he met his bodyboarding heroes and also performed well finishing tenth overall in his first ever bodyboarding contest - the highest rated 5A Wimpy Rossi Pro-Am.
“I want to thank my auntie for always looking after me, Wild Boyz Surf Shop and Grant Thomson for helping me to enter my first contest. I am always going to keep my certificate, I am so proud of how I did and I love my sport of bodyboarding. When I go into the sea I drown all of my other worries,” said the surf mad Grade 11 pupil from Siyabonga High School who wakes up at 04h30 twice a week to get to the beach.
Maphumulo, who was orphaned at the tender age of seven, lives with his aunt and had never travelled to any other areas outside his local break Warner Beach up until the weekend.
“I was very nervous on the drive to Margate, I had never been so far away from home and I did not know what was going to happen in my heat but when I got into the water I felt happy because I had made the paddle out easily in big waves,” said the 20 year old who has been bodyboarding for four years and skateboarding for even longer.
The determined youngster is hoping to compete in more South African Bodyboarding Association (SABA) circuit events in 2005.
“I had so much fun at the contest, I got to meet my heroes – Sacha Specker and Wayne Beekman and I went to a bodyboarding clinic with Alistair Taylor and world champion Karla Costa Taylor,” said Maphumulo who has vowed to win the next event he gets the opportunity to enter.
Development division champion on the rise, Maphumulo, took a shining to Margate saying, “It was a very nice town, it looked very different, I think because there were so many shops so close together.”
Issued on behalf of:
South African Bodyboarding Association (SABA)
Southern Kwa-Zulu Natal Bodyboarding Contact:
Wayne Beekman (Chairman)
082 822 1825
Email: [email protected]
Issued by:
Olivia Jones Communications
082 537 8840
Email: [email protected]
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