2005 Quiksilver SA Championships

A Surfing South Africa Event
New Pier, Durban – South Africa
May 5 - 8, 2005    

NEW CHAMPIONS FOR SOUTH AFRICA'S  PREMIER SURF EVENT

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 08 May, 2005 : - - National champions KZN underlined the fact that South Africa's top surfers are based in Surf City when they produced all four individual division winners and retained  the Presidents Cup at the 2005 Quiksilver SA Championships which were completed in small New Pier surf in Durban on Sunday, May 8.

In winning the team trophy for the 33rd time in 41 years, KZN beat 2001 and 2002 champions Border into second place.Southern KZN were third, Eastern Province came fourth, a disappointing Western Province fifth, Zululand sixth, Boland seventh and a weakened Southern Cape came eighth. 

In the premier Open Men's division New Pier local and pre contest favourite Shane Thorne (31) made the best use of the conditions in the Final and used his knowledge of the New Pier conditions to blow his competitors out of the race.

He only caught two waves in the 25 minute heat but scored a total of 15 points out a possible 20 to become the oldest surfer in the 41 year history of the event to win the coveted national title and pocket R15000.

Former National champion and Thorne's KZN teammate Antonio Borteletto was the runner up.

Bryson, who had beaten Thorne in an earlier heat came third but was named as the Quiksilver Super Surfer and won R1000 and a Canon digital camera.

Gavin Roberts of southern KZN just could not find the rides in a wave starved heat and had to settle for fourth.

An emotional Thorne was overwhelmed with his win. "It's my first big win since 1996, when I won in Jeffrey's Bay on my way to the ASP Africa title" he said "I was third in last year's SA Championships, so you can imagine how stoked I am."

Multiple SA Champion Tamarys de Maroussem of KZN made up for the disappointment of not even reaching the Final in Jeffrey's Bay last year when she beat Sarah Johnston of Southern KZN into second place in the Open Women's division. Tasha Mentasti of KZN repeated her 2004 third place and Stacy Guy of Western Province was fourth.

In the Under 20 Boys Final defending champion and Quiksilver team rider Keegan Nel of Border and rookie finalist Rory Beach of KZN completed the heat with exactly the same points. After the prescribed formula was used to break the tie Beach edged ahead by ,99 points to take the Kalos Kagothos trophy and the Quiksilver Junior Surfer of the contest award.

Gary Muller of Border came third and Damien Fahrenfort of Western Province was fourth.

As anticipated, the Under 20 Girls final was a clash between eventual champion Tammy Lee Smith of KZN and Roxy team rider and defending champion Rosanne Hodge of Border.

Smith always looked in control after scoring an eight point ride early in the heat and then backed it up with a 6.5 to beat Rosanne fairly comfortably.

2005 SA Junior team members Nikita Robb of Border and Tarryn Chudleigh of WP were third and fourth respectively.

Eastern Province surfer Granville West won the ZIG ZAG Blowing Up award which goes to the surfer who impresses in each major contest held in South Africa during the year.

His prize was R1000 and a unique grenade shaped trophy.

In the Tag team event, KZN earned the R1000 put up by Quiksilver by beating Eastern Province into second place.Southern KZN were third and Border were fourth. All eight teams took part in this "fun" event which is purely a team contest and produces no individual winners.

The 2005 Quiksilver SA Championships featured over 120 surfers from eight provinces. In a break from tradition, only the four premier divisions competed in a straight elimination format similar to the those used on the Association of Surfing Professionals World tour.

The 2006 Quiksilver SA Championships will take place in the Cape Peninsula from April 27 - 30.

FULL RESULTS : 2005 QUIKSILVER SA CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN MEN'S FINAL

1. SHANE THORNE (KZN)                      15.00PTS

2. ANTONIO BORTELETTO (KZN)         12.50 PTS

3. ROYDEN BRYSON (BOR)                    8.00 PTS               

4. GAVIN ROBERTS (S/KZN)                    7.34 PTS

OPEN WOMEN'S FINAL

1. TAMARYS DE MAROUSSEM (KZN) 13.23 PTS

2. SARAH JOHNSTON (S/KZN)                10.00 PTS

3. TASHA MENTASTI (KZN)                        8.83 PTS

4. STACY GUY (WP)                                      5.37 PTS

UNDER 20 BOY'S FINAL

1. RORY BEACH (KZN)                            14.33 PTS ( +.99)

2. KEEGAN NEL (BOR)                            14.33 PTS

3. GARY MULLER (BOR)                          9.94 PTS

4. DAMIEN FAHRENFORT (WP)              5.40 PTS

UNDER 20 GIRL'S FINAL

1. TAMMY SMITH (KZN)                         14.67 PTS

2. ROSANNE HODGE (BOR)                 11.34 PTS

3. NIKITA ROBB (BOR)                             10.45 PTS

4. TARRYN CHUDLEIGH (WP)                 6.44 PTS

QUIKSILVER SUPER SURFER

ROYDEN BRYSON (BOR)

QUIKSILVER JUNIOR SURFER

RORY BEACH (KZN)

ZIG ZAG BLOWING UP AWARD

GRANVILLE WEST (EP0

PRESIDENTS CUP (TEAM POINTS)

1. KZN - 53960

2. BORDER - 40820

3. S/KZN - 40690

4. E.P - 36270

5. W.P - 35740

6. ZULULAND - 34160

7. BOLAND - 26850

8. S/CAPE - 7070

TAG TEAM

1. KZN - 162.7 PTS

2. E.P - 134.7 PTS

3. S/KZN - 105.1 PTS

4. BORDER - 101.4 PTS

 
Durban proved to be the ideal venue for the event, with typical May weather conditions ensuring four consecutive windless days with temperatures of 25 degrees.  The three-foot average waves were very contestable and ensured that South Africa's best were able to show off their considerable talent.

Previous reports:
# 1 : South Africa's best get ready for 2005 Quiksilver Champs
# 2 : KWA Zulu Natal dominate 2005 Quiksilver Champs Day One
# 3 : Great conditions for Durban Quiksilver SA Championships
# 4 : SA's best give good show at Quiksilver SA Championships

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