Jordy Smith : photo Nicoll/Zigzag

Team News

Jordy Smith is the SA Surfer of the Year for the second consecutive year

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 18 February, 2008 : - - Surfing sensation Jordy Smith of Umbilo was crowned Surfer of the Year for the second consecutive year at the South African Surfing Awards at the International Convention Centre  in Durban on Saturday night (February 16).

Over 250 guests made up of South African surfing's newsmakers, surfing legends and upcoming stars attended the black tie affair which was presented by Zigzag in association with Paarl Web, Surfing South Africa and the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Africa. The MC was 5FM's Kevin Fine and music was provided by popular local musician, Farryl Purkiss.

The South African Surfing Awards are held annually to honour South Africa's best surfers and to recognise their performances during 2007 on the domestic Surfing South Africa Pro Surf Tour and on the international Association of Surfing Professionals World Qualifying Series and ASP World Championship Tour.

Each year, in addition to recognising star performances by South African surfers,  the SA Surfing Awards honours surfing legends and on Saturday, Frenchy Fredericks, an early surfing pioneer and Spider Murphy, one of South Africa's most influential surfboard shapers, were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Grant Baker : photo Nicoll/Zigzag

In addition a silent auction was held for eight time World Champion Kelly Slater's surfboard, former ISA World Champions and WCT surfers Travis Logie and Jordy Smith (who put up the surfboard which won him the 2007 World Qualifying Series) and Grant “Twiggy” Baker, who gave his big wave board which he used in the Red Bull BWA at Dungeons.

All proceeds from the silent auction as well as the entry fees from the Surf Industry surf challenge, which was held at Dairy Beach on Saturday morning and featured nine surf industry teams competing in a tag team event, will be given to a school near Umfazazana on the KZN south coast to support Zig Zag's Surf to Read programme.

Another highlight of the five star evening was a preview of Shaun Tomson’s new surf film, Busting Down The Door, a surf documentary profiling surfers from the 1970’s to present. The film pays tribute to surfers that have revolutionized or raised the level of surfing and features a number of South Africans.

2007 South African Surfing Awards 

Surfer of the Year
Jordy Smith (Umbilo – Durban)

2007 ASP Africa Men’s Champion
Jordy Smith (Umbilo - Durban)

2007 ASP Africa Men’s Pro Junior Champion
Rudy Palmboom (Bluff – Durban)

Surfing South Africa Men's PST Champion for 2007
Devyn Mattheys (East London)

Surfing South Africa Women’s PST Champion for 2007
Heather Clark (Port Shepstone)

Surfing South Africa U20 Boys Champion for 2007 
Rudy Palmboom (Bluff)

Surfing South Africa u20 Girls Champion for 2007
Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie)

Contribution to Surfing
Hugh Roe

Hall of Fame Inductees:
Spider Murphy (Durban) Frenchy Fredericks (Durban)

Pushing the Boundaries
Grant Baker (Durban) Andy Marr (Kommetjie)
Photo of the Year: Barry Tuck (Durban North)

2008 ASP World Championship Tour  Qualifiers
Rosanne Hodge (East London)|
Ricky Basnett (Bluff - Durban)
Jordy Smith (Umbilo - Durban)
Travis Logie (Durban)
Royden Bryson (East London)

www.surfingsouthafrica.com

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Robin De Kock

Television - Surfersvillage