The Surfing South Africa (SSA) Board of Director’s have ratified the selection of the South African Surfing Team which will compete in the 2009 International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games at Playa Hermosa near San Jose, Costa Rica in August.

The South African Team’s preparations, training and attendance at the ISA World Surfing Games will be supported by a R400,000 grant from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF). Since 2004 the NLDTF have supported all the South African teams which have competed in ISA World Junior Championships, ISA World Surfing Games and ISA World Masters Championships.

The 2009 South African Surfing Team consists of four Men, two Women, two male Longboarders, three coaches and a manager.

The Men’s team comprises three new caps in Brandon Jackson (Durban), Rudy Palmboom (Bluff) and Damien Fahrenfort (Durban), who are the highest ranked available South Africans on the ASP World Qualifying Series ratings. All three have represented South Africa at ISA World Junior Championship level.

The fourth member of the team is 2008 SA Team captain Ryan Payne (Cape St Francis) who qualified for the team after winning the trials held during the South African Championships ten days ago. Llewellyn Whittaker (Mossel Bay) is the non-travelling reserve.

The Women team members are Rosanne Hodge, South Africa’s only representative on the ASP Women’s World Tour, and fellow East London surfer Nikita Robb, who is currently ranked 10th on the ASP World Qualifying Series.

Hodge last competed in the ISA World Games in 2006 where she won a bronze medal for South Africa. This is the first World Games selection for Robb, who has represented South Africa at the ISA World Junior Championships four times. Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie) is the non-travelling reserve.

The two Longboarders who will travel to Costa Rica are current South African Longboard champion Justin Bing (Noordhoek) and his runner up Michael Hill (Cape St Francis) who both earn their first caps.

Mike Sheppard has been appointed Team Manager and he will be supported by legendary Head Coach Graham Hynes, Deputy Coach Ant Brodowicz and Assistant/Technical coach Kevin Olsen.

Sheppard was the Manager of the 2008 SA Team, Hynes has been coaching surfers and national surfing teams since the early 1970’s, Brodowicz coached the 2007 and 2008 SA Masters Teams which won the ISA World Masters Championships and Olsen was one of the coaches of the 2002 and 2004 South African teams and the coach of the 2008 SA Team at the ISA World Games in Portugal last year.

Cyril Nel (East London) has been appointed by the ISA as one of two Head Judges for the event and Sandile Mqadi has been included on the international judging panel.

Surfing South Africa is recognised by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and the International Surfing Association (ISA) as the official governing body for the sport of surfriding in South Africa.

Six provincial organisations and three national associations are affiliated to Surfing South Africa which coordinates and manages all aspects of surfriding from grass roots level through to the selection of National teams.

2009 SOUTH AFRICAN SURFING TEAM

MEN
BRANDON JACKSON (KZN)
RUDY PALMBOOM (KZN)
DAMIEN FAHRENFORT (KZN)
RYAN PAYNE (EP)
Non-travelling reserve
LLEWELLYN WHITTAKER (BOLAND)

WOMEN
ROSANNE HODGE (BORDER)
NIKITA ROBB (BORDER)
Non-travelling reserve
TARRYN CHUDLEIGH (WP)

LONGBOARDERS
JUSTIN BING (WP)
MICHAEL HILL (EP)
Non-travelling reserve
DYLAN MCCLEOD (EP)

MANAGEMENT
MIKE SHEPPARD (MANAGER)
GRAHAM HYNES (HEAD COACH)
ANT BRODOWICZ (DEPUTY COACH)
KEVIN OLSEN (ASSISTANT COACH)

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SriLankan Airlines Pro Maldives – Day three running in windy conditions at Pasta Point

Day three of the SriLankan Airlines Pro is off and running at Pasta Point in windy conditions with swells around 3 to 4 feet.

Organizers will aim to get through the remaining 16 heats of round two today and already in the opening heat of the day Brazilian Jadson Andre posted the events highest single wave score with an outstanding 9 point score.

Watch the events live webcast at www.srilankanairlinespro.com

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(The Salt Lake Tribune) – Rebekka Stone had not quite overcame her fear of water when a friend persuaded her to try stand up paddle surfing in March 2008 at a Miami beach.

A year and two months later, Stone finds herself teaching this unique sport to others in one of the most unlikeliest of places — the Great Salt Lake.

Stone, who grew up in Hartford, Conn., owns and operates Utah Paddle Surfing, a company that provides lessons primarily on the weekend and by appointment on other days at the Great Salt Lake. Stone moved to Salt Lake City in January after spending four years in Miami, and received a business license for Utah Paddle Surfing in early March.

Standup paddle surfing can best be described by its name — a mix between surfing and paddling. The sport utilizes a sizeable surfing board (10 to 14 feet long) and an angled-blade paddle with that is usually 6 to 9 inches taller than the surfer’s height. Though the name implies that surfers stand up, they can also paddle surf on their knees or sitting down, all while using the paddle to direct their movement and speed.

Standup paddle surfing originated on the shores of Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii in the 1940s and has become increasingly popular. It doesn’t require big waves, allowing it to gain a following among people who live in land-locked areas, such as Utah, where only rivers and lakes are available.

The sport helped Stone overcome her fear of water, and she believes that it could provide similar benefits for others.

“My whole life, I’ve been afraid of water, and swimming has been a challenge for me,” Stone, 34, said. “About a year and a couple of months ago, a friend introduced me to surfing. I don’t had good balance, have never been a good skier and can’t skateboard or roller blade, so I didn’t think I’d be able to surf. But the first time I tried it, I thought maybe this would help me overcome my fear of water. So, I went back every week, a couple of times every week, and I started being there almost everyday. Then I kind of needed to get my own board to cater to that craving.

“It’s helped me overcome my fear of water and helped me develop balance and focus. There’s an inner peace that comes when you’re able to be on a board.”

Stone and fellow trainer, Greg Gbrow, offer clinics for $10 from noon to 2 p.m. every Saturday at the Great Salt Lake Marina State Park. Their boards, which can hold up to 300 pounds, can be rented for $20 an hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Private lessons are also for $40 an hour on Saturday and Sunday, with rentals or lessons for other days arranged by appointment. The company occasionally holds lessons at the Saltair.

Stone said that between five and 10 people attend each free clinic. She believes that the business is growing well, despite the misconception that you can’t surf in Utah.

“People think you can’t go surfing in Utah, but you can go surfing anywhere there’s water,” she said. “People will take these paddle boards on the river, and even in whitewater rapids.”

Shawn Young, 36, received his first taste of standup paddle surfing in late May and found it to his liking.

“A couple minutes into my first time out, I felt myself feeling that sensation of planing across the water,” said Young, who lives in Washington, D.C. “It was wonderful; I felt stoked. I just think that it’s the most surreal place, this salt water lake in the middle of the Rocky Mountains.”

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