Team News

International Surfing Association
Punta Rocas, Peru
29 March - 6 April 2008

South Africa on track to defend ISA World Masters surfing title in Peru

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 3 April, 2008 : - - South Africa, winners of the team gold medal at the inaugural ISA World Masters Surfing Championships in Puerto Rico in 2007, are well on track to successfully defend their title following superlative performances by all eight team members in the opening rounds of the 2008 edition of the event in Peru.

Competing in double to triple overhead waves at Punta Rocas, a legendary surf break 60 Kms south of Lima and the venue for the 1965 ISF World Titles, SA men have recorded four of the 10 highest heat scores in the event over the past three days while Heather Clark posted the highest single ride (9.0 out of 10) and heat total (15.50 out of 20) in winning her Round 1 heat.

Seven of the team members have won every heat they have contested with only Andrew Banks (Margate) dropping to the Repecharge rounds when he placed third in Round 2. However, the 35 year-old from Margate posted the highest scores in the Masters division yesterday to remain in contention for the final.

Justin Healy (Cape Town) in the Masters (Over 35), the Malherbe brothers, David and Andre from East London, in the Grand Masters (Over 40) and Marc Wright (Durban) and Nick Pike (East London) in the Kahunas (Over 45) are all through to the last eight in their respective divisions.

Chris Knutsen (Durban), crowned Kahunas World Champion in Puerto Rico last year but competing in the Grand Kahunas (Over 50) this year, notched up the fourth highest heat total of the entire event (17.16 points) in winning his opening encounter on Tuesday. This was almost 10 points better than the next highest score in the division and the four-time SA open champion of the 1980’s looks set to add a second world title to his list of accolades.

Clark also looked in a class of her own and the 2001 Hawaiian Triple Crown champion and undisputed ‘Queen’ of SA women’s surfing reveled in the triple overhead waves.  “I’m glad I stuck a little wide and got the bomb sets that walled up on the inside,“ the 36-year-old Port Shepstone surfer said.

 “I came to Peru a couple of years ago for the WCT event, so I really wanted to come back and compete in this event. Peru’s waves are so fun and rippable. It seems that every time I come here the waves are good.”

The 2008 ISA World Masters Surfing Championships is webcast live on www.isasurf.org starting at approximately 15h00 SA time daily. The event runs until Saturday 5 April. The ISA World Masters Surfing Championship is a team competition. The nation accumulating the highest points across all divisions wins the gold medal and earns the status of the world’s best over 35 surfing country. Individual standings count towards the team total.

The divisions are:
Masters: Over 35 years old
Grand Masters: Over 40 years old
Kahunas: Over 45 years old
Grand Kahunas: Over 50 years old
Masters Women: Women over 35 years old
 
A complete team is formed by eight athletes: two Masters, two Grand Masters and two Kahunas, a Grand Kahuna and a Master Woman. The four finalists in each division are awarded gold, silver, bronze and copper medals, as are the top four national teams.

The South African team at the event has been supported Jeep Apparel, Sport and Recreation South Africa and the Lotto.

Previous reports:
# 1 : South African Team ready for ISA World Masters Champs
# 2 : South Africa team arrives in Peru for ISA World Masters
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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

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