Juniors Shark Scare

Organisers, worried parents of the Saffa contingent might like to know, opted for a safety first policy at the VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in Salinas, Ecuador on Tuesday.

“Athlete safety is the ISA’s number one priority at the World Championships. We take that very seriously and always will,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “The competition is reaching its critical stages, when athletes in the Repecharge can’t afford to lose or they will go home.”

The day’s proceedings started in smaller waves which contributed to South Africa’s Teal Hogg and Chanelle Botha struggling to produce high scoring rides and they both slipped into the U16 Girls repecharge rounds.

Cana Foster also dropped into the U16 Girls repecharge stream while Ruth Armstrong was SA’s only surfer to advance on the day, moving into U16 Girls repecharge Round 2 after finishing second in her round 1 encounter despite only riding one wave.

All the SA boys qualifying stream heats were postponed yesterday so Joshe Faulkner will be the first to take to the surf in Heat 3 of the U16 Boys qualifying Round 2 followed by Jordy Maree in the next heat. Shane Sykes and Steffen Burrows will be next up in U18 Boys qualifying Round 3 on the main podium

All four SA boys will be determined to stay in the qualifying stream by finishing first or second in their respective heats. If they succeed, they will see more action in the qualifying Round 4 heats later in the day.

Cana Foster and Ruth Armstrong (U16 Girls), Teal Hogg and Chanelle Botha (U18 Girls) and Adin Masencamp and Ethan Fletcher (U16 Boys) will all be in action in repecharge rounds in front of the second podium in the middle of the beach.

Only team captain Max Armstrong and Ntando Msibi, both of whom are the U18 repecharge rounds, will not be competing on Wednesday.

Follow the SA Junior Team’s progress in Ecuador and post your support at www.facebook.com/pages/Surfing-South-Africa-Junior-Team/250021071844395

The 2014 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games resumes on Tuesday at 8am local time (3pm SA time). The live webcast of the event starts with the Morning Show at 2.40pm and is available at www.isawjsc.com

VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championships

Program – Day 4 – Wednesday

Main Podium:
5 Heats Qualify 3 Boys U-16                     (Joshe Faulkner Heat 3, Jody Maree H4)
6 Heats Qualify 3 Boys U-18                     (Shane Sykes H2, Steffen Burrows H3)
3 Heats Qualify 3 Girls U-18
3 Heats Qualify 4 Boys U-16                     (TBD)
3 Heats Qualify 4 Boys U-18                     (TBD)
6 Heats Repecharge 2 Boys U-18

Second Podium:
2 Heats Repecharge 1 Boys U-16
12 Heats Repecharge 1 Boys U-18
6 Heats Repecharge 2 Girls U-16             (Cana Foster H1, Ruth Armstrong H3)
6 Heats Repecharge 2 Girls U-18             (Teal Hogg H1, Chanelle Botha H3)
12 Heats Repecharge 2 Boys U-16          (Adin Masencamp H4, Ethan Fletcher H10)


Surfing South Africa (SSA) is the recognised governing body for the sport in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and of the International Surfing Association (ISA).