Saffa Marc Wright at the 2008 Masters in Peru : photo Jake White

Team News

Namibia welcomes sports exchange

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 9 November, 2009 : - - The 2009 South African Masters Surfing Team have arrived in Swakopmund, Namibia, for a ten day visit that will see the team compete in two events against an enthusiastic group of local Namibian surfers.

The SA Masters team is made up of World Champion Marc Wright of Durban, multi capped World Championship finalists David and Andre Malherbe of East London, 1992 World Surfing Games runner up Carl Roux of Umhlanga and new caps Dave Fish and Mike Brent of East London and Gary Van Wieringen of Warner Beach.

The team is coached by 1978 World Champion Ant Brodowicz and is accompanied by Penny and Hannes Stemmet of Somerset West who will assist in the running and adjudication of the events. 2008 World Masters Champion and current South African champion, Heather Clark of Port Shepstone, who was badly injured in a horrific motor car accident two weeks ago, was unable to travel with the team.

The Namibian Challenge will consist of two surfing events, the first of which got under way near Swakopmund on Saturday November 7. The second of these international exchanges will be held next Saturday and Sunday (November 14 & 15) and the SA Masters Team will return home via Cape Town on November 16.

While in Namibia the SA Masters Team will be assisting the Namibian Surfing Association in the coordination and running of events and will work on the development of judges and coaches in the region.

Both South Africa and Namibia are members of the International Surfing Association but while South Africa has attended every ISA sanctioned event since 1992, Namibia’s attendance at an ISA tournament has been limited due to their lack of funds. The last time Namibia competed in an ISA contest was in Durban in 2002.

The objective during this visit by the team that won the World Championship title at both the 2007 and 2008 World Masters Championships is to assist and encourage the Namibian Surfing Association to send teams to the ISA World events scheduled for 2010.

The 2010 South African Masters Team and the Namibian Challenge is supported by funds from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.

Surfing South Africa is the governing body for the sport and is recognized by Sport and Recreation SA (SRSA). SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA). All representative South African teams are selected by a selection committee appointed by the Board of Directors of Surfing South Africa.

www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

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Robin de Kock

Team - Surfersvillage