DAY 2

DAY 1

With an epic storm fast approaching, the surfers indulged in the clean, fast, heavy waves of this second day of competition at the O’Neill Cold Water Classic South Africa.

Back at Misty Cliffs, with a cleaner but similar size swell to yesterday, it was the 16 year old Hawaiian surfer John John Florence who had the crowds gathered on the cliffs above cheering loudly as he got a barrel on almost every wave he took off on.

His final ride, as he tucked into his last barrel of the day, earned him the highest wave score of the competition so far – a 9.6.

“It was good out there today,” said John John. “I was battling against Hedgy and saw this big wave come in at the end and just went for it.”

It was the final two waves of John John that nudged former World Tour surfer Nathan Hedge out of this third leg of the O’Neill Cold Water Series as the event moved into the round of 64.

“I don’t usually like when it is that close,” said John John on his battle with Nathan. “I usually get really nervous, but today it worked out ok.”

Nathan’s surprise exit as he battles through a back injury opens up the CWC Series ranking list and the chance of the $50,000 prize money that little bit more, as the Australian surfer had been sitting in fourth position following Tasmania and Scotland.

South Africa – A kite surfer was killed in a freak accident on Saturday after being lifted by a gust of wind and slammed into rocks in front of a Milnerton hotel.

IT specialist Brad Grobelaar, 38, a father-of-two from Blouberg, was treated on the scene but died of massive head injuries.

His kite was found on the roof of the Lagoon Beach Hotel.

Kiting friend Garth Mulholland said Grobelaar always wore a safety helmet and was an experienced kiter, but an incident like Saturday’s could happen “in a heartbeat”.

Shocked friends on the beach, who had been in the surf with Grobelaar yesterday, described how a squall came up with rain and intense winds.

Read the rest of the article here

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)

story via