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Science/Reef South African Champs 2008 - Day 3

Source: www.sabaonline.co.za

posted by Peter Lambert on 1st October 2008

Day 3 started with a show of solidarity for WP Team Captain, Deon Meyer, who had to cancel his trip to SA Champs in order to be with his father, who subsequently lost his battle with cancer on Monday morning, 30 September. We arrived at the beach and all the competitors sat down at the waters edge and read a message from Deon.

"Thanks everyone for attending the paddle out. To my team mates, and my friends, it is with great sadness and regret that I had to leave you guys. Over the past few weeks my father has been battling brain cancer, fighting for his life, with his family and loved ones by his side. He never gave up. Never. Not even once! The evening before he died he tried to speak and to get up. I would like to ask all of you, each competitor, each person to live by his example and that is to never give up, never give in, and be positive no matter how great the odds are stacked up against you. Apply this in your competitive lifestyle, apply it in you daily life style. You will not fail, you will not falter", said Meyer.

We then all paddled out, made a huge circle, said a prayer, and scattered flowers into the lineup in honor of Deon's dad.

After that day 3 of the contest got under way, conditions were fairly crisp with a nice offshore and about 3-4 feet of fairly nice punchy swell, hitting the sandbank nicely, especially with low tide.

The Ladies where first in the water, with Monique Gresse (NKZN), and Karla Costa Taylor (SKZN), both dominating their heats and going through to the quarter finals along with, Janneke de Kok, (WP) and, Lizel Van Vollenhoven (SKZN).

The judges and competitors then relocated to a sick peak little peak, bowling a little further down the beach and the Pro's hit the water. Sterling performances where had by Sacha Specker (WP), with his huge Air Roll Spins and Mark McCarthy (NKZN), going nuts. Very consistent local man, Rheinhard du Toit (NKZN), boosted some insane inverts, and 8 times SA Champ, Alistair Taylor (SKZN), took contest surfing to the next level, with a mad ARS to roll combo.

In the Juniors Ian Campbell (CKZN), Terence Pieters (SKZN), David Lilienfeld (WP) and Bradley Moys (SKZN) all destroyed their heats.

Next up were the Masters, with contest organiser John Cawood (NKZN), Gustav Botha (BOL), Kevin Williams (SKZN) and Paul Basson (BOL), all earning their well deserved spots in the final.

As afternoon set in the tide got higher and the menacing onshore wind began to blow making conditions increasingly difficult just as the DK riders paddled out for their second round heats. Because the number of first round contestants was very close to the number of slots allocated to the quarter finals, most riders that they where safe, with the only eliminations being Peet Verryne (BOL), Justin Lindsay (EP), and Adam Morley (SC), who lost out by less than one point! The rest are through to the quarter finals.

Conditions for tomorrow shouldn't change much from what has been seen throughout the contest, but one plus is that the onshore winds have eased off and predictions are pointing towards offshore breezes blowing for the better part of the morning.

Check out the Science/Reef SA Champs contest page to download the heat sheets.

The 22nd Annual Science/Reef South African Bodyboarding Championships is presented to you by Zululand Fever and proudly sponsored by Science Bodyboards and Reef Wetsuits in association with Ocean & Earth, Ocean Eyewear, B Smart Communications, Steers, Upperdeck Restaurant, Form-Scaff, Lockt_In and Alliance Graphics.

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