In the Ghost Ship's Shadow

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The ghost ship loomed through the early morning haze, visible a few kilometres down the road, and grew larger despite the tabulated Mountain backdrop. It framed the sea, an unstable stage awaiting performers. Directly in front of this lifeless hunk of groaning metal a red tent was pitched to mark the judge’s hide. Flapping branded flags drowned out the cries of what I thought were seagulls.

As the chilly Cape Town morning got brighter the spell of Seli 1’s shadow began to fade my Tolkenseque mood. I’m standing next to my car, longboard and SUP tied down on the roof racks. The car park is filled up; others were also arriving for 2010 New Balance Western Province Champs.

Saturday brought stiff cross-onshores, rain squalls and 4 foot plus waves in testing washing-machine conditions. Mutterings of small, offshore Muizenberg were heard as bodies bundled out of warm cars; some with boards protruding from the back of bakkies. But the call has been made, the lollipop flipped to green, and the contest was on.

Those ordered into heat sheets fortified themselves with coffee from across the road and pondered where the hell to find a wave that would offer some scoring rides.

In the lee of the ghost ship waves attempted to regroup as a famed A-frame after ricocheting off its creaking stern. White water surged off its bow. Instead the spin cycle churned out piecemeal peaks in a confused rendition of childish chopstick played on a broken piano.

Many hopefuls wash-up on the beach after round one.

The next day the ghost ship was a shade of it former shell in the sunlight as if the Bermuda Triangle has repositioned itself and geo-cached the Caribbean to Cape Town.

The semi-finals and finals were run on the Sunday on a balmy Spring day with a dying 2-3 foot clean swell offering various peaks in ship’s shadow for the longboard and SUP divisions alike (with some contenders taking part in both wave-riding disciplines).

The trick was to select the right peak, stick to your game-plan in each heat, impress the judges with fancy footwork and tricksy turns, and pick up a wave that would take you to the beach. The annuals of the WP Champs show whose repertoire outclassed the competition.

The New Balance WP Champs were held over weekend of 28-29 August 2010 at the Wreck in Tableview. This annual surf contest is run by the Western Province Longboard Surfing Association (www.wplba.co.za).

RESULTS

Open Men

1st – Justin Bing
2nd – Michael Grendon
3rd – William Wallace
4th – Andrew Bance

Open Women

1st – Simone Robb
2nd - Tarryn Kyte
3rd – Therese Russel
4th – Chelsea van Rooyen

Super Legends

1st – Davis Clegg
2nd – Paddy Greenacre
3rd – Paul Parker
4th – Alan Shelly

Senior Men

1st – Dave Stubbs
2nd – Deon Bing
3rd – Steve Harcourt-Wood

Senior Women
1st – Bernie Shelly
2nd – Therese Russell
3rd – Kim Du Venage
4th – Lynn Robertson

Legends
1st – Patrick Corbitt
2nd – Stu Edwards

Grandmasters
1st – Alan Robb
2nd – Mark Theunissen
3rd – Simon Aaron
4th – Tim Ball

Girls
1st – Jessica Goodman
2nd – Chelsea van Rooyen
3rd – Raylin WynneSuper

Vets
1st – Gary van Rooyen
2nd – Brenton Geach
3rd – William Gould

Masters
1st – Michael Grendon
2nd – Toby Murphy
3rd – Floyd Pearce

Youth
1st – Sam Jakins
2nd – Raylin Wynne

Vets
1st – Mark Hoyle
2nd – Keith Kelly
3rd - Hugo Zuanni
4th – Volker Diebolt
5th - Jonathan Crowther

Junior Boys
1st – Kurt Dreyer
2nd – Papi Makanyani
3rd – Tim Stirrup
4th - Yoshi Diebold

SUP Open Women
1st – Karina Figl
2nd – Roxy Towill
3rd – Jessica Goodman
4th – Hanli Prinsloo
5th - Chelsea Van Rooyen

SUP Open Men
1st – Jono Rosslind
2nd – Justin Bing
3rd – Peter Petersen
4th – Andrew Bance
5th – Greg Bertish
6th - Michael Scott

Awards
Surfer of the Event:Jessica Goodman
Most improved:Kurt Dreyer
Biggest Manoeuvre:Justin Bing