Famous Last Words

The winner

After the unsavoury incidents earlier in the week at a much more well-known break, good vibes presided over the finals day and the most coveted prize in South African Bodyboarding.

The day dawned one of those epic spring days, calm, clean and perfect.

The Pro final consisted of Sacha Specker (WP), Mark McCarthy (NKZN), Adam Waites (CKZN) and Jonathan Oliff (CKZN). Sacha Specker wasted no time and took off on a clean left hander almost on the siren and boosted a huge ARS that the crowd went wild on. Adam Waites used his consistent technique of choosing good waves to roll and flip on.

DK to the win

Mark McCarthy struck back by busting a rib cracking ARS on a big closeout. Jonathan Oliff quietly snuck into contention with a neat barrel and a solid flip. Sacha wasn’t going to be left out and believed that this years title was his for the taking. His plan must have been to go bigger and better than everyone else in the contest and launched a massive backflip into the flats!

Once again the crowds on the beach couldn’t believe what just happened. Sacha could do no wrong in the final and walked away the 2009 Reef SA Champs Pro Champion.

The Ladies final consisted of Janneke De Kock (WP), Lize Mari Ras (CKZN), Jocelyn Norton (SKZN), Suzie Vester (NKZN).  Lize Marie Ras started off with some nice smooth spins and backed it up with a clean roll. Jocelyn Norton also had some clean spins close to the pocket. Janneke De Kock had nice combo manoeuvres but struggled to find a good back up wave.It was Suzie Vester who used her experience to get the waves she needed to cleanly roll out of to get the high scores. Suzie walked away the winner, Lize Mari Ras claimed 2nd with Janneke De Kock and Jocelyn norton getting 3rd and 4th.

Upside yourself ... David Lilienfeld

Some crazy riding went down in the Masters Final. The waves turned on and sections and barrels were the order for the heat. Robert Scott (WP) decided to use the inside smaller waves to link rolls and spins together. Mike Van Huyssteen (CKZN) got nicely executed rolls to keep the score tight between the finalists. Martin Otto (SKZN) also used the pocket of the wave to roll cleanly out of getting good scores but it was Gustav Botha who used his knowledge he has gained over the years on the west coast to wait for some of the best waves we had seen the whole contest. His first wave was a big roll out of the pocket, landing in the barrel then rolling out of the barrel again scoring him a 9.0 point ride. He wasn’t done yet. He patiently waited for his “backup” wave. With 2min left in the heat he stroked into a set wave raced through a deep dark foamy barrel and air rolled out! 10’s all round by the judges! Gustav comfortable won with Martin Otto 2nd. Mike Van Huyssteen and Robert Scott 3rd and 4th respectively.

Empty lineup in the good old bay days a few days before.

The Men’s final was a fast affair. Jeffrey Davies (CKZN) started the heat surfing with clean lines and busting big clean rolls and backing it up with a smooth cutback reverse off a end section.

Jaryd Van Daalen (SKZN) linked 2 rolls on one wave to keep up with Jeffrey Davies.

Wayne Beekman another Southern Kwa-Zulu Natal rider represented in the final fought back with a big roll and a well riden barrel but Rayner Venter (SKZN) was the winner linking good roll, spin, roll combos together to claim the win. Wayne Beekman, 2nd, Jeffrey Davies 3rd and Jaryd van Daalen 4th.

Robbie Waites (CKZN) got 2 nice waves in his Boys Final. He rolled the first and backed it up with another clean roll. Sebastian Koopmans (WP) got a small barrel and ARS’d out. He unfortunately got held up abit in landing the ARS. Jason Fowler (WP) used the same strategy he had used in previous heats, riding some of the heaviest waves and hitting the lip in crazy critical sections and landing some huge rolls earning high scores. Steven Du Preez (CKZN) surfed his final like a professional and mixed his waves up with different moves, landing huge rolls and inverts. Steven walked away the Boys Champion with Jason Fowler in 2nd . Sebastian 3rd and Robbie 4th.

The Junior final was one of the closest heats of the entire contest with some of the biggest moves being laid down. Adam Waites (CKZN) made sure he sat slightly wider and waited for the good sections to get good solid rolls off. Storm Prestwich(SKZN) had good wave selection with a big ARS and roll. David Lilienfeld (WP) waited till the end of the heat to get one of the highest scoring waves of the heat, blasting a huge invert off a heavy closeout section, but it was the ever consistent Boland rider named Marc Webster who smacked a crazy tweaked invert and a huge flip to win the SA Junior title.

Now is where the day turned into the Sacha Specker Show (try say that 10 times fast!) The DK final was one of the craziest ive ever seen! Sacha Specker (WP)  started the final a man possessed blasting a huge floater off a big closeout section forcing the other competitors to play catch up form the start.

Warren Canepa sat slightly futher down the beach and waited for the clean right handers, unfortunately he coulnt find the waves to match Sacha and placed 4th. Wayne Du Preez (CKZN) had consistent rides throughout the final getting longer rides that edged up his scores.

Surf smoked at the beginning of the event, but it was pointless.

Vaughn Harris (BOL) had a smooth fast racing barrel section with a big forehand floater off the end section that put pressure back on Sacha. Sacha responded with what must be said was the DK move of the contest! He took off on a bigger set wave raced down into the inside bowl and blasted… uumm, im not sure what to call it… a huge sliding 180 gouge floater thing! The crowd on the beach couldn’t believe what they had witnessed and applauded Sacha’s efforts. Sacha was met on the beach by his Western Province team and congratulated him on his amazing win. Vaughn Harris placed 2nd, Wayne Du Preez 3rd and Warren Canepa 4th.

This year the Ivan Friedman Memorial Trophy for Sportsmanship Award went to Keith Millward from Boland, for showing great spirit and sportsmanship at this years SA Champs. Terence Pieters was runner up for going out of his way helping someone who wasn’t even part the event.

The Top Judge award was won by Marc Rossouw (CKZN). 2nd was Simon Heale (WP) and Bernard Hoogendijk (BOL).

The move of the contest was awarded to Vaughn Harris (BOL) for the huge backflip he landed in the difficult bodyboading conditions at Elands Bay.

Sean Tickner dropknee cut back - early in the event.

The Kumba Iron Ore development clinic went off without a hitch and was a huge success in the development of new riders in the Lamberts Bay area. One rider that took a natural knack to bodyboarding and showed great enthusiasm was Izaan Adams. He won the Development Prize at this years SA Champs.

The all important team event trophy named the Fishermans Trophy was up for grabs as usual for the teams that excel throughout the event. The usual battles were had between the provinces and the results were as follows.

1. Central Kwa-Zulu Natal     19130
2. Southern Kwa-Zulu Natal   18586
3. Western Province     16909
4. Boland     14561
5. Eastern Province    12478
6. Northern Kwa-Zulu Natal    9910

Everyone will agree that this years Reef South African Champs was one of the best and most organised SA’s ever. Boland Bodyboarding Association was a great hosting province and the team put a lot of hard work into planning and making the event possible.

Thanks to everyone in the team and committee for a great and memorable SA Champs.

The Reef South African Championships are co-sponsored by: Kumba Iron Ore, Science body boards, Ocean & Earth, Viper fins, Matunas wax, Coca Cola, Powerade, Sonsurf, Bonaqua, Environ, Muisbosskerm, Eureka accomodation, Cederberg Municipality  and OK Sentra.