South African team : photo Robin de Kock

ISA World Surfing Games 2008

Open Men, Open Women, Longboard, Bodyboard M+W
Costa Da Caparica, Portugal
11-19 October 2008

2008 South African Surfing Team depart for the ISA World Surfing Games in Portugal

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 October, 2008 : - - The members of the South African Surfing Team were awarded their Protea colours at a private Ceremony in Cape Town on Monday night. The South African Team leaves today (Tuesday October 7) for the 2008 ISA World Surfing Games which will take place in Costa Da Caparica, Portugal from October 11 -19. The ISA World Games is the premier ISA event on the calendar and features over 30 teams in what is regarded as the "Olympics" of surfing. 

ISA World Longboard Champion Matthew Moir of Cape Town will travel to Portugal to defend the title he won at Huntington Beach, California in 2006, while Ryan Payne of Jeffreys Bay, the top seed in the side, has been appointed captain of the tour party. 

Included in the team is 2007 SA Champion and PST Champion Devyn Mattheys of East London, current Surfing South Africa Pro Surf Tour (PST) ratings leader Matthew Kruger of Durban and former SA Junior Team captain and 2007 South African Under 20 Champion Klee Strachan of Winkelspruit. 

Multiple national junior champion Tarryn Chudleigh of Kommetjie and Chantelle Rautenbach of Melkbosstrand, the 2007 South African Under 20 champion and newly crowned South African Under 18 champion, are the two Women surfers in the side. The Bodyboard trio is headed up by experienced Sacha Specker of Cape Town and includes David Lee of Umhlanga and Pamela Bowren of Port Elizabeth. 

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The 2008 South African Team is hoping to match the fourth place achieved by the 2006 South African Team which competed in the ISA World Games in California. At the Award Ceremony the team members were urged to "do their very best and wear the Colours with pride“ and as inspiration  were shown the beautiful Eduardo Arena Trophy which was won by the South African Masters team in Peru earlier this year. 

Team managers Mike Sheppard and Niezaam Jappie were positive about the side's potential and reminded the 2008 side that Jordy Smith, Matthew Moir and Rosanne Hodge all brought glory to South African surfing in 2006. Coach Kevin Olsen will meet the team in Portugal on their arrival Wednesday October 8. 

The tournament gets under way with the Parade of Nations on Saturday October 11 and this occasion includes the unique Sands of the World Ceremony where all the attending countries deposit sand from beaches in their respective countries into a special container. South Africa, with its unique historical links to Portugal, has something special planned for this part of the Opening Function. 

The tournament is eight days long and the 30 or so nations that will be competing at the event will depart for home after the finals on Sunday October 19. Australia are the defending champions. The 2008 South African Team will travel to the ISA World Games thanks to funding from the National Lottery Board: 

Men
Ryan Payne (capt) (Eastern Province)
Devyn Mattheys (Border)
Matthew Kruger (KZN)
Klee Strachan (Southern KZN)

Women
Tarryn Chudleigh (Western Province)
Chantelle Rautenbach (Boland)

Longboard
Matthew Moir (Western Province)

Men’s Bodyboard
Sacha Specker (Western Province)
David Lee (Central KZN) 

Women’s Bodyboard
Pamela Bowren (Eastern Province)

Managers
Niezaam Jappie
Mike Sheppard

Coach
Kevin Olsen 

About Surfing South Africa (SSA)
Surfing South Africa is recognised by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and the International Surfing Association (ISA) as the governing body for surfriding in South Africa. 

About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for surfing, bodyboarding and surfriding.  It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running World Championships since 1964, and the Junior World Championships since 1980.

www.isasurf.org

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Robin de Kock

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