Cointel Western Province Open

2A rated Men & 1A Women & 1A Pro Junior
ASP Africa Pro Surf Tour (PST) event
Cape Peninsula (Mobile venue)
19 - 21 March 2005

Day 3: Kruger, Richards and Guy take Cointel WP Open titles

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 22 March 2005: - - Matthew Kruger from Durban clinched the prestigious men’s title in the inaugural Cointel WP Open surfing event in windswept one metre waves at Long Beach in Kommetjie on Monday with Capetonians Stacey Guy (Melkbosstrand) and David Richards (Kommetjie) collecting the women’s and Pro Junior titles respectively.

Kruger continued the inspired run of results that has seen him become one of the ASP Africa Pro Surf Tour (PST) top 14 seeds for the 2005 season, earning R4 000 and an invaluable 750 Pro Surf Tour (PST) rating points for winning this 2A rated, R15 000 event.

The 21 year-old was awarded the highest scoring ride of the 30 minute final – 8.5 points from a possible 10 – when he followed a flowing series of radical backhand manoeuvres with an outrageous re-entry in the board-snapping Long Beach shore dump, drawing a spontaneous cheer from the spectators.

Adding another 7.0 point score for a 15.5 point heat total, Kruger relegated Cape Town’s Cass Collier to the runner-up position despite Collier’s strong start to the final with a brace of excellent rides. Former ASP Africa champ Shane Thorne (Bluff) could only manage third place in the final after winning all his earlier heats while Kommetjie’s Quintin Jones proved he is still force to be reckoned with by securing fourth place overall.

Guy was in a class of her own in the women’s event, winning every heat she contested including the final where her 7.0 and 6.0 point rides were enough for victory over 15 year-old rising star Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie) who successfully completed a number radical manoeuvres that had her local supporters cheering. Telana Flanagan from Nahoon took third place with fellow East Londoner Nikita Robb missing the final as she was an aeroplane to Australia where she will compete in an international event later this week.

Richards used all his local knowledge to defeat a high quality Pro Junior (U20) field, riding a total of 10 waves in the final and snatching victory in the last minute when he added a 7.5 point score to the 7.0 he had racked up earlier. This gave him a narrow win over a trio of Durbanites including runner-up Josh Redman, who could only add a 4.0 ride to his near perfect 9.0 point score at the start of the final.

Josch Schmeltzer (Westville) only rode three waves in the 30 minutes but that was enough to give him third place ahead of Chris Schnitzer who battled to find waves that offered scoring potential in the tricky Long Beach line up.

Richards was also awarded a wildcard into the men’s event and fully justified that honour by going on to reach the semi-finals there. He defeating top seed Frankie Oberholzer (Warner Beach) in his opening heat and was ultimately eliminated by Kruger and Collier, the ultimate winner and runner-up. Combined with his debut Pro Junior victory, this earned the 18 year-old Richards the coveted Zigzag Performance Award and an additional R1 000 that goes to the surfer who ‘blows up’ during highly rated events.

“It’s sick! What a great feeling,” exclaimed Richards about winning the juniors and the performance award. “I was amped to do well in the men’s event but I’m stoked to win the juniors, and extra stoked to win the ‘blowing up’ award. Thanks to Cointel and the organisers, and especially the judges,” he added, laughing.

The Cointel WP Open was the first event for men and women on the 2005 ASP Africa Pro Surf Tour (PST) and the second event for Pro Juniors. The event was well organised by WP Surfing and used a mobile event format that took it to Witsands on Saturday and to Long Beach on Sunday and Monday.

Cointel WP Open Results

Men
1. Matthew Kruger (Durban) R4 000
2. Cass Collier (Cape Town) R2 000
3. Shane Thorne (Bluff, KZN) R1 100
4. Quintin Jones (Kommetjie) R 900
=5. Brad Mommsen (Durban) R 600
=5. Andrew Banks (Port Shepstone) R 600
=7. Dave Richards (Kommetjie) R 400
=7. Ryan Payne (St Francis) R 400

Women
1. Stacey Guy (Melkbosstrand) R1 000
2. Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie) R 450
3. Telana Flanagan (Nahoon) R 300
4. Nikita Robb (East London) R 250

Pro Juniors
1. Dave Richards (Kommetjie) R1 000
2. Josh Redman (Durban) R 450
3. Josch Schmeltzer (Westville) R 300
4. Chris Schnitzer (Durban) R 250

Zigzag Performance Award
Dave Richards (Kommetjie) R1 000

Day 2: Mixed results for top seeds in Cointel WP Open

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 21 March 2005: - - The top seeds in the men and women’s events of the first ASP Africa Pro Surf Tour (PST) tournament of the year produced a mixed bag of results when the second day of the R15 000 Cointel WP Open was held in one to 1.3 metre (3-4 foot) waves at Long Beach in Kommetjie on Sunday.

Seven of the top eight men’s seeds progressed to the quarter-finals, with only sixth seed Justin Sanders (Jeffreys Bay) being eliminated from the event when he placed fourth in his round of 32 heat. However, the top two women’s seeds – Penny Robarts (Somerset West) and Tasha Mentasti (Durban) – were both sidelined in the semi-finals in equal seventh and fifth places respectively.

The start of the second day’s action was delayed by mist, but once that burnt off the women’s first round took to the surf. This was followed by the second round of men, which saw the 16 qualifiers from yesterday’s first round take on the top 14 seeds plus two wildcards. The day ended with the women’s semis as the organisers chose not to hold the second round of Pro Juniors, who will be the first in the surf tomorrow morning.

Frankie Oberholzer from Warner Beach, the top seed in the 2A rated, R10 000 men’s event, was given a scare when he was decisively beaten by 18 year-old Kommetjie rising star Dave Richards, who fully justified his selection as a wildcard. Oberholzer managed to hold onto second place ahead of Stanley Badger (Port Elizabeth) and Josch Schmeltzer (Westville) to advance to the quarter-finals of the event on Monday.

The likes of second seed and 1995 ASP Africa series champ Shane Thorne (Bluff) won his heat as did Quintin Jones (Kommetjie), Durbanites Matthew Kruger and Gary van Wieringen and Port Shepstone’s Andrew Banks, while Brad Mommsen (Durban), like Oberholzer, advanced when he placed second behind Dylan Stone (Port Elizabeth).

In the first round of the 1A rated, R2 500 women’s event the top four seeds all progressed to the semi-finals with third and fourth seeds, Stacey Guy (Melkbosstrand) and national junior team member Nikita Robb (East London) both heat winners and Robarts and Mentasti going through as runners-up. Robb showed her class to win the first semi from 15 year-old Kommetjie standout Tarryn Chudleigh and Guy scored another victory to qualify for Monday’s final along with second placed Telana Flanagan (East London)

The venue for the third and final day of the Cointel WP Open will be decided by 7.30 am and will be available from the WP Surfing Info Line at 086 22 55 555 thereafter. The final of the Pro Juniors will now be staged soon after 2pm, followed by the women’s final 30 minutes later and then the men’s final. The awards presentation will take place at the venue approximately 30 minutes after the men’s final ends.

Day 1: Cointel WP Open gets underway at Witsands

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 20 March 2005: - - The first Pro Surf Tour (PST) event of the year for men and women, the Cointel WP Open, and the second for Pro Juniors (under 20), got underway this morning when the opening rounds of the men and Pro Juniors events were held in one metre waves at Witsands on the Cape Peninsula.

Competitors in the 2A rated, R10 000 men’s event were first in the surf with juniors Brandon Jackson (Durban), Luke Christie-Smith (Kommetjie) and Shaun Payne (St Francis Bay) winning the opening three heats. Their senior counterparts were quick to stamp their authority on proceedings thereafter when Stanley Badger (Port Elizabeth), Ryan Payne (St Francis Bay), Michael Few (Durban) and former two-time SA champ Sean Holmes (Jeffreys Bay) clinched heat victories.

The top two in each heat progressed directly to Sunday’s second round where they come up against the top 14 seeds plus two wildcards. The top seed is Frankie Oberholzer (Warner Beach), followed by Shane Thorne (Bluff) and local Quintin Jones who, along with wildcards Brett Shearer and Dave Richards, are Kommetjie locals.

Durbanites dominated the results in the first round of the Pro Juniors with Josch Schmeltzer (Westville), Chris Schnitzer, Josh Redman and Brandon Jackson securing heat wins while Shearer, Cuan Prytz (Kommetjie) and Josh Salie salvaged some pride for the local contingent.

The Cointel WP Open continues on Sunday when the surf is expected to double in size and the predicted wind conditions make it likely this mobile venue event will be staged in the Kommetjie area. Sunday’s program starts with the men’s round of 32 followed by the first round of the 1A rated, R2 500 women’s event, the Pro Junior quarter-finals and concludes with the semi-finals of the women’s event.

The finals of all three events are scheduled for Monday, Human Rights Day, starting with the Pro Juniors at 1pm then the women 30 minutes later. The event draws to a climax with the men’s final at approximately 2pm. The awards ceremony will be staged at the event venue about 30 minutes after the conclusion of the event.

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Western Province Surfing
Mark Hoffman
markhoff@mweb.co.za

Life's a Beach Communications
lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

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