Reef Wetsuits South African Surfing Champs

Surfing South Africa
Victoria Bay South Africa
24 - 27 July 2008

Eastern Province win Presidents Cup at Reef Wetsuits SA Champs

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 28 July, 2008 : - - The Eastern Province Surfing Team made history on the final day of the 2008 Reef Wetsuits SA Championships at Victoria Bay Sunday July 27 when they won the Presidents Cup for the first time.

Thanks to brilliant performances in their respective finals by their newly crowned SA Men's Champion Shaun Payne and Under 20 Boys champion Nick Godfrey, plus some fine supporting efforts by Men's runner up Simon Fish and Under 20 Girls runner up Faye Zoetmulder, the EP Team edged out neighbours and 2007 champions Border in a thrilling finish to a fantastic South African Championships.

The final day of competition in the 43rd SA Championships was held in typical 4 - 6 foot Victoria Bay surf that peeled across the bay right up until the last siren. A few rain squalls did nothing to spoil the great vibe created by hosts Southern Cape who made sure that the 200 or so visitors from as far afield as Durban were well looked after.

While Eastern Province made history in winning the Presidents Cup the host province created a bit of history themselves when the brilliant  fourteen year old Bianca Buitendag took the Under 20 Girls title in style to become the youngest surfer ever to win a title in any division at the South African Championships.

Competing in the Under 18 Division, Buitendag came seventh in the recent ISA World Junior Championships in France then won the Mr Price Pro Junior in Durban before coming second in a major Pro Junior event in France just 10 days ago.

During the SA Championships none of her heat scores were under 16 out of a possible 20 points and during the event she scored a 9.50 ride, the highest single wave score in any division. Buitendag’s points in the final were 16.5 giving her an average heat score of 17 and understandably she was awarded the trophy as the Junior Surfer of the Contest.

Zoetmulder scored 12 to finish second and third placed Under 20 girl, Alice Mc Gregor of Border scored 8.25. 2007 champion Chantelle Rautenbach of Boland failed to find any high scoring rides and posted 5 points in finishing fourth.

Nick Godfrey waited until the Final of the Under 20 Boys Division to show what he is capable of and despite the best efforts of local star Shaun Joubert, Godfrey had the edge over the favourite beating him into second spot by 16.5 points to 14.5. Third placed Michael February of Western Province posted 11.5 and Clinton Gravett of Border was unable to reproduce his semi final form and ended fourth with 8 points

Heather Clark of Southern KZN scored 14.9 to win the Women's final but her third national title was not without controversy. At the Award Ceremony Western Province surfer Stacey Guy was announced as the winner but her joy turned to distress when she was informed by officials that she was in fact second.

Unfortunately the clerical error which had the two surfer's names reversed on the results sheet given to the announcer was only spotted after the award ceremony. Senior Surfing South Africa officials have taken responsibility for the error and the obvious distress that it has caused and have apologised to both surfers as well as to their Team Managers and Provincial Presidents.

Stacey Guy's second place was only 0.9 points behind Clark while third placed Kirsty Delport of KZN scored10.6 and Roxy Towill of WP posted 7 to end fourth.  In a thrilling Men's Final the lead changed hands at least four times but in the end it was Shaun Payne who posted 17.40 points in the heat and his EP teammate Simon Fish managed 15.25 to grab the runner-up berth.

Southern Cape talisman Llewellyn Whittaker needed one more good wave to make a charge for the lead but his 13 points were only good enough for third place. Nevertheless his fine performance throughout the event and his huge backhand attack on every wave he rode made him a popular choice as Surfer of the Contest. Matthew Kruger of KZN on 12.75 was fourth.

In winning the Presidents Cup, Eastern Province scored 41560 points to Border's 37954 points while Western Province were third with 34370. Southern KZN scored 33684 to finish fourth, KZN were fifth on 32746, Boland came sixth with 25270 and Southern Cape were seventh on 21794.

FULL RESULTS

OPEN MEN
1. SHAUN PAYNE (EP)
2. SIMON FISH (EP)
3. LLWELLYN WHITTAKER (S/CAPE)
4. MATT KRUGER (KZN)

OPEN WOMEN
1. HEATHER CLARK (S/KZN)
2. STACEY GUY (WP)
3. KIRSTY DELPORT (KZN)
4. ROXY TOWILL (WP)

UNDER 20 BOYS
1. NICK GODFREY (EP)
2. SHAUN JOUBERT (S/CAPE)
3. MICHAEL FEBRUARY (WP)
4. CLINTON GRAVETT (BOR)

UNDER 20 GIRLS
1. BIANCA BUITENDAG (S/CAPE)
2. FAYE ZOETMULDER (EP)
3. ALICE MC GREGOR (BOR)
4. CHANTELLE RAUTENBACH (BOL)

JUNIOR SURFER OF THE CONTEST
BIANCA BUITENDAG (S/CAPE) 

SURFER OF THE CONTEST
LLWELLYN WHITTAKER (S/CAPE)

TEAMS
1. EASTERN PROVINCE 41560
2. BORDER 37954
3. WP 34370
4. SOUTHERN KZN 32684
5. KZN 32746
6. BOLAND 25270
7. SOUTHERN CAPE 21794

www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Previous reports:
# 1 : Reef Wetsuits South African Surfing Champs to hit V-Bay
# 2 : Small surf kicks off Reef Wetsuits South African Champs
# 3 : Good surf Day 2 of Reef Wetsuits South African Champs
# 4 : Coming soon  

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