Lightey Comeback

PADDLE BATTLE: What a treat to get a famous surf spot all to yourself. Photo Kody McGregor

The Covid-19 pandemic has put our lives on hold, but imagine the relative jump in age for some youngsters who leapfrogged age divisions before they could contest the 2021 Sea Harvest SA Junior Surfing Championships presented by SMTH Shapes.

Finals day delivered testing, crumbly 2-3 foot lines in light onshores to test finalists who were crowned winners in eight junior age divisions after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

In a close battle between Cape Town Surfriders and Buffalo City, the prestigious Freedom Cup went to Cape Town Surfriders for amassing the most individual points across four divions in each of the boys and girls divisions during the week. Cape Town Surfriders reclaimed the award after losing it to Buffalo City in 2019.

STEYN RUN: Zoe Steyn stamped her authority on proceedings at Lower Point. Photo McGregor

In the premier U18 Girls division, Zoe Steyn (Buffalo City) displayed unwavering confidence in the small, fragmented onshore waves to put her fierce backhand attack through its paces to claim victory with an 11.93 (6.25 and 5.68) heat score total. The win marks the fourth Junior title of her career.

U18 Boys’ Mitch Du Preez (Buffalo City) built on his performances in every heat surfed. His consistency paid off in the final, where his explosive, exceptionally vertical backhand turns earned him a 13.88 (6.75 and 7.13) heat score toal and the prestigious U18 Boys division title. Du Preez will cherish this title after coming in at a close second place in both 2018 and 2019.

Sarah Scott (Cape Town Surfriders) held on to her winning streak, taking out every heat surfed in the contest, all the way through to the final. Her slicing carves and powerful surfing in the crumbly conditions of the final left no inkling of doubt that she was much-deserving of the prestigious U16 Girls division title. The win marks Scott’s third Junior title, after U12 and U14 Girls division wins in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

FROTHING: Mitch du Preez celebrates his U18 boys title as he exits the water. Photo McGregor

As conditions deteriorated throughout the day Connor Slijpen (Cape Town Surfriders) demonstrated his nimbleness in challenging, small onshore waves in the U16 Boys final, generating ample speed and powerful turns; a testimony to his well-rounded surfing abilities. His performance was rewarded with a 12.18 (6.38 and 5.8) heat score total and an U16 Boys division title.

After winning their respective Semifinals, Louise Lepront (Ugu Surfriders) and Anastasia Venter (Cape Winelands Surfriders) went neck in neck in the U14 Girls Final, putting on a spectacular show. A combination of choice waves, beautiful forehand wraps and critical snaps propelled Venter into a significant win with a heat score total of 14.23 points, making her the 2021 U14 Girls Surfing champion. This is the young talent’s second Junior title, after winning the U12 Girls division in 2019.

CLAIMING IT: Josh Malherbe won the U14 Boys with a radical repertoire. Photo McGregor

In an impressively confident performance, Josh Malherbe (Buffalo City) delivered vertical turns and exciting combinations of manoeuvres to claim the U14 Boys division title. In the U12 Girls Final, Cape Town Surfriders surfer Emily Jenkinson adeptly navigated the bumpy onshore conditions, working in long rides and multiple turns to claim the division title.

In tricky onshore conditions, Ben Esterhuyse (Cape Town Surfriders) went straight down to business with a remarkably confident backhand attack, backing up a 5.00 with a 6.5 point score to earn a decided win and the U12 Boys division title.

For delivering the most consistently impressive surfing performances throughout the contest, Ben Esterhuyse (U12 Boys, Cape Town Surfriders) and Louise Lepront (U14 Girls, Ugu Surfriders) received the Surfer of the Contest award. The Ilembe team were awarded the Loud & Proud award for the dynamic and uninterrupted support of their fellow team members on the beach.