Jordy Smith (S Afr) Day 6 : photo courtesy ISA

ISA World Surfing Games

International Surfing Association
Huntington Beach, California
14 - 22 October 2006 

Live Webcast  |  News/Results/Photos  |  Photos Day 6  | 

SA Team still in top 5 with two days to go at ISA World Surfing Games

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 20 October, 2006 : - - The South African surfing team hung onto provisional fifth place out of the 33 competing nations at the 21st ISA World Surfing Games at Huntington Beach in California after Friday’s sixth day of action thanks to stellar performances from longboarder Matthew Moir and 2003 ISA world junior champ Jordy Smith in the men’s open surfing. 

With every team having had at least two competitors eliminated, Australia sit in provisional pole position followed by Brazil, USA, Hawaii, South Africa and France. 

Moir picked up where he left off as the standout competitor of the event’s opening day when he top scored in the third qualifying round of the longboard division, advancing to the last four along with Australia’s Harley Ingleby and consigning two-time ASP world longboard champ Colin McPhillips to the repecharge route. 

“The waves were the best I’ve ever seen in Huntington Beach,” said an elated Moir, adding “I had to mix nose riding with modern maneuvers. I’ve known Colin for some time now and I’ve surf with these guys for years. I finally got him!”  

Smith was equally as devastating in the men’s open surfing, advancing through three repecharge heats, as did teammate Gavin Roberts. Both reached round seven where they face a tough assignment up against each other and American WCT campaigners Chris Ward and 2001 ASP world champ CJ Hobgood, with only the top two progressing. 

Smith’s duel with Hobgood in a round five encounter had the beach buzzing as the two traded the lead after every wave. The Durbanite sealed the heat win in the last minute with an outrageous ‘double grab Superman air’ manoeuvre that netted him the day’s high 9.77 points from a possible 10 and the day’s top accumulated total of 17.77. 

“Jordy has so much talent and I knew I had to step it up when I found out he was in my heat,” commented Hobgood after the heat. “I watched his right air reverse that earned an 8.5 and I knew I had to get to the next level. He must’ve felt the pressure because the very next wave, he answered right back with that crazy air and ended it with the bang in the last minute. I was clapping from the shore,” added the American. 

South Africa’s pursuit of the Basil Lomberg Memorial Trophy, named after the late President of the SA Surfing Association who resurrected the ISA in 1977 and which goes to the winning nation, was dented by the elimination of team captain Granville West and women’s bodyboarder Lyndall Pells. 

West bowed out in rep round four to finish the event 33rd overall, contributing 1 280 points to the team total while Pells fell short in rep round two with her overall 13th place netting the team an 450 invaluable points. 

In the women’s surfing, Tammy-Lee Smith put the disappointment of being relegated to the repecharge rounds behind her with a gutsy performance that produced a comfortable runner-up spot in round four to stay in contention for the title. 

Today’s action at the WSG at Huntington Beach sees live webcasts of all the action as the event enters its penultimate day. One can watch from 4pm SA time and first up will be Jordy Smith and Gavin Roberts in the men’s repecharge round. 

This will be followed by Tammy-Lee Smith in women’s repecharges, Rosanne Hodge in women’s qualifying, and two more rounds of men’s and women’s surfing repecharges. The day’s activities end with the semi-finals of the Tag Team event where SA finished third at the last biennial WSG event in 2004 and the SA junior team, including Jordy Smith, set a world record score in Brazil earlier this year. 

The results of the SA heats from yesterday plus images of SA team members in action appear at the bottom of this release 

WSG Schedule
Live coverage: All of the action will be streaming live at http://surfingamerica.org/isa and www.isasurf.org. 

NB: California is 9 hours behind SA time, e.g. 7am in California is 4pm in SA 

SATURDAY October 21

Main Podium
Start                            Heats
7:00AM          2 Heats OPEN Rep 7
7:40AM          2 Heats OPEN Q5
8:20AM          2 Heats WOMEN SURF Rep 5
:00AM            2 Heats WOMEN SURF Q4
9:40AM          2 Heats OPEN Rep 8
10:20AM        2 Heats WOMEN SURF Rep 6
11:00AM        2 Heats LONGBOARD Rep 4
11:40AM        1 Heat OPEN Rep 9
12:00PM         1 Heat WOMEN SURF Rep 7
12:20PM         1 Heat LONGBOARD Rep 5
12:40PM          SEMIFINALS TAG TEAM
 
The SA team has been funded by a grant from the National Lottery Board (Lotto) and the side has received support from O'Neill South Africa, Island Style and Reef Wetsuits

www.isasurf.org
www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Team South Africa:  www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za
# 1 : S Afr Surfing Team leaves for 2006 ISA WSG on Tuesday
# 2 : Granville West named captain for 2006 S.A. Surfing team
# 3 : Matthew Moir blitzes opposition at Lost Energy ISA WSG
# 4 : Three SA men sent into repecharge rounds at ISA WSG
# 5 : South African girls into last 16 at ISA World Surf Games
# 6 : SA loses first team member in dramatic day at ISA WSG
# 7 : Coming soon
# 8 : Coming soon  

www.isasurf.org
www.lostenterprises.com
www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

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