SA Champs: Day 4 brings more good swell and early exits
posted by Gareth White on 27th September 2007
The fourth day of competition at the 21st annual 5A rated South African Bodyboarding Championships took place today, 27 September, in Plettenberg Bay. The event, which is organised by the Eastern Province Bodyboarding Association (EPBA) together with the South African Bodyboarding Association (SABA,) is nearing its final stages, as today saw the running of numerous closely contested quarter final heats.
Conditions were almost the exact opposite of what had been predicted and for the best part of the day the swell remained in the region of 2 to 4 foot, with light off shore breezes holding up the lines. With such good conditions and uncertainty about of what tomorrow might bring, organisers opted for the running of the majority of remaining heats.
To start the day off the Boys Division contestants took to the water to run through round 2. Stand out performances came form Jason Selby (WPBA,) Andrew Raath (BBA) and Bas Koopmans (WPBA.)
The Masters Division were next on the agenda and as we all know by now, competition has been and remained fierce. Stand out performances came from Michael van Huyssteen (CKZN), who is in search of his 10th title, Wesley McQuillan, Brett Simpson (WPBA) and Gustav Botha (BBA.) All of these riders will be facing one another in the Masters final
Local lady, Lyndell Pells (EPBA) and Pamela Bowren (WPBA,) pretty much owned the Ladies Division with their powerful rolls a smooth spins. Ladies making it through to the final are: Lyndell Pells, Pamela Bowren, Geline Derbyshire (SCBA,) and Wida Scholtz (SKZN.)
South Africa’s top bodyboarders have been competing at the Wedge this week in hope of claiming top honours in their division. Today marked the beginning of the elimination rounds in the Pro, Juniors and Mens Divisions and some big names have fallen by the wayside.
Busting out and performing in the Mens Division is paramount to moving forward in the division and today riders had to push it to get through. Local ripper, Ryan Jucker (EPBA) came to the party and had a good heat. Team mates JP Nortier (WPBA) and Jamie Higgins (WPBA) had to surf against one another in the quarter finals, but both managed to move through to the semis with some solid rides.
The Drop Knee Division qualifiers were held in conditions very conducive to solid DK riding. Top rides on the day came from Sacha Specker (WPBA), Derek Footit (SKZN,) and Sean Tickner (CKZN,) but none of these rides could compare to the perfect 10 ride of David Lee (SKZN,) who caught a solid set wave, dropped into the barrel, exited cleanly and did a sweet floater, that got teams from the all Provinces cheering.
Among the first to fall on his way through the qualifying stages in the Pro Division was Mark McCarthy (NKZN,) from Richards Bay, who is currently ranked number 2 on the International Bodyboarding Association World Tour (IBA.) “Winning S.A’s was one of my goals for this year and I am disappointed to have been eliminated, but it has been great to come back and compete and to see that the level of riding in South Africa is World class,” commented a humble McCarthy. His focus now turns to training for the next stop on the IBA tour.
8 times South African Pro Champion, Alistair Taylor (CKZN,) hoped to claim his 9th title at the event, but had his chances smashed in a closely contested heat during the quarter finals. “I felt that I had done enough to ensure my place in the semis, but it turned out that I was wrong,” commented a stunned Taylor.
Another top rider less than happy to have been eliminated is Capetonian, Sacha Specker (WPBA,) who was knocked out by an in form Marc Jucker (EPBA) and Mark Watts (CKZN.)
The Juniors Division quarter finals were held next and were held as conditions faded with the pressing tide. Sets were few and far between, so riders had to be selective.
The rides that stood out for me were those by Adam Morely (SCBA,) Chris Elliot (WPBA,) Dane Beales (CKZN) and Michael Ostler (CKZN.)
The biggest upset of the quarters has to be the elimination of Jared Houston (WPBA,) who just couldn’t find the right rides.
Organisers are unsure as to whether or not the contest will run tomorrow as small swell has been predicted. Bigger swell should apparently arrive by Saturday morning, just in time for the conclusion of the event.
The South African Bodyboarding Championships 2007 is hosted by the Eastern Province Bodyboarding Association together with the South African Bodyboarding Association and is brought to you by
Science Bodyboards,
Reef Wetsuits,
Factory 7 Bodyboard Shop,
debis Fleet Management, Pennypinchers,
Plett Tourism / Bitou Municipality,
Robberg Estates, Bobbin Craft,
Arnette,
Environ and
Havaianas.
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