O'Neill Scottburgh Pro

SSA Pro Mens and Womens event
Scottburgh Beach, KZN Coast South Africa
24 - 25 March 2007

Guy and Redman Crowned Inaugural O’Neill Scottburgh Pro Champions

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 25 March, 2007 : - - Stacey Guy (Melkbosstrand) and Josh Redman (Umdloti) took the women’s and men’s titles respectively at the inaugural O’Neill Scottburgh Pro held at Scottburgh Beach on the KZN mid-south coast at the weekend. The event carried a R15,000 prize purse and provided men and women’s division surfers with the first opportunity to open their points for the 2007 Surfing South Africa (SSA) Pro Surf Tour (PST).

“This first O’Neill Scottburgh Pro was an absolutely fantastic success. We were blessed with amazing surf conditions – the weather and waves really made it happen. O’Neill is proud to have showcased such phenomenal South African surfing talent and we are looking forward to growing the event in KZN, over the next couple of years.

This event is here to stay and we are already looking forward to growing the contest bigger and better every year,” commented O’Neill Brand Manager Chris Bertish. The powerful surf remained between 1 to 1.5-metres for most of the day with the easterly wind providing tricky, choppy conditions in time for the finals.

The men’s final was plagued by long lulls in between the sets of waves. Redman was quick out of the blocks scoring a 5.25-points ride. He extended his lead by catching a wide set wave which he annihilated with two really strong turns in the critical section of the wave to earn 8.5-points.

Former world tour surfer Paul Canning (Durban North) replied with a similar wave to score 8 out of a possible 10 points which saw him place second. Justin Sanders (Durban North), who was a standout throughout the event, landed a huge air in the final but it was not enough to progress past third place. Out of town surfer Quintin Jones (Kirstenhof) was less fortunate with his wave selection and placed fourth.

“I’m really happy to win the first SSA Pro Surf Tour event on the 2007 calendar, I am really glad that I have got off to a strong start this season,” commented Redman. In the women’s final three competitors from the Cape met the reigning Women’s Pro Surf Tour champion Sarah Maritz (Warner Beach).

Maritz opened up with first wave of the final but was soon overtaken by Stacey Guy (Melkbosstrand) who displayed excellent wave selection which enabled her to pack in a number of snaps and turns. The remainder of the final proved to be a tussle between Guy and Tara Hossack (Newlands) with the leads exchanging hands several times.

Tammy Robarts (Somerset West) executed an impressive ‘off the top’ turn into the bathing area but was unable to back it up with a second high scoring ride and finished fourth behind Maritz. Guy was crowned the inaugural O’Neill Scottburgh Pro women’s champion with Hossack taking a well deserved second place.

“I’m ecstatic about winning! The conditions out there were good but extremely tough. I’m so happy that O’Neill has brought an event like this to Scottburgh because I love the waves here,” said Guy.