Weare Wins for KZN

Weare will represent South Africa in the next Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Longboard Tour, which is restricted to the top 32 longboard surfers in the world.

Having fought back from the losing stream in the open’s men’s division, Weare pulled out all the stops in a hotly contested final against Justin Bing (Western Province) Michael Hill (Eastern Province) and defending title holder, Matthew Moir (WP).

Kwa-Zulu Natal walked away with team honours with a dominant display of longboard riding in gnarly 4-5' surf. After five days of classic longboard surfing in 2-4' surf at New Pier - and expectation of much bigger, near perfect waves for the finals - contestants arrived early Saturday to find onshore, storm surf conditions too hectic for longboards, but great adrenalin-rushing stuff for big wave riders like Jason Ribbink and company.

Organisers moved the SA longboard champs event to Addington Beach, where waves, although much smaller, were lumpy and closing out, often treacherously so as several contestants discovered, including Moir, who snapped his board in the open men’s final.

The 25-minute final saw the four title contenders paddling into outside sets and pulling off massive floaters and re-entries. Albeit impressive, each surfer desperately needed to find higher-scoring waves running alongside the inside bank.

With time running out, Bing (WP) scored well on two good running waves and looked set to take the championship title. Moir also had a high score under his belt, Hill was going for broke, and Weare desperately needed a second wave to keep him in contention.

The final set proved to be the decider – Hill broke his leash, Moir snapped his board, and Weare caught a “smoker” seconds before the siren blew. Weare knew it was all or nothing, ending his ride by landing a spectacular off-the-lip to loud applause from the beach.

At the awards ceremony at the Durban Underwater Club, attended by about 300 people, Weare was ‘totally stoked” to clinch the SA open title for the first time.

“It’s a dream come true, something I have been working towards for five years. I must thank Hugh Thompson for making me an unbelievable board which I picked up on Monday. As I surfed through the week, it really started happening for me,” said Weare.

Weare also won the Masters Division and was awarded the Surfer of the Contest award.

Other top performances from KZN surfers, including Scott Lefevre (junior’s winner), Heather Klug (girls winner), Ritchie Respell (grand masters), Fred Le Roux (veterans) and Lisa Smith (senior ladies), ensured that the provincial team trophy went back to KZN after last winning it in 2006. New Balance WP finished second, EP third and Southern Cape, fourth.

In the open women’s division, Roxy Davis (SC) returned to the winning podium with last year’s winner Simone Robb (WP) having bombed out in the challenging surf conditions in the final heat.

Chris Knutsen (SC) a member of the winning surfing team that represented SA at the recent World Masters Champs in Panama, won the super veterans division, proving his ability in all conditions on any surfboard – short or long.

Having accumulated the most points in the open men’s 2011 five-event SA longboard surfing series, ending with the SA champs on Saturday, Dylan Macleod (EP) walked away with a coveted Surftools trip to Bali. – Roving Reporters

President’s Cup (provincial trophy)
1st – KZN
2nd – Western Province
3rd – Eastern Province
4th – Southern Cape
Open Mens
1. Brad Weare (KZN)
2. Justin Bing (WP)
3. Matthew Moir (WP)
4. Michael Hill (EP)
Open Ladies:
1. Roxy Davis (SC)
2. Faye Zoetmulder (EP)
3. Simone Robb (WP)
4. Michelle Van Kempton (EP)
Girls:
1.Heather Klug (KZN)
2. Hanna Bing (WP)
3. Mia Hordyk (KZN)
4. Amber Hogg (KZN)
Boys:
1. Ethan Pentz (WP)
2. Dave Van Greuneen (EP)
3. Matt Law (KZN)
4. Chris Lynch (EP)
Juniors:
1. Scott Lefevre (KZN)
2. Bradd Gilmour (KZN)
3. Damien Stander (KZN)
4. Grant Beck (EP)
Masters:
1. Brad Weare (KZN)
2. Michael Grendon (WP)
3. Brad Trickett (KZN)
4. Stanton Ashton (SC)
Grand Masters:
1. Richie Rispel (KZN)
2. Brandon Ribbink (KZN)
3. Andrew Scott (EP)
4. Greg Illing (KZN)
Senior Men:
1. Dave Stubbs (WP)
2. Deon Bing (WP)
3. Dave Hansen (KZN)
4. Marcel Hofmann (KZN)
Vets:
1. Fred Le Roux (KZN)
2. Craig Daniel (KZN)
3. Hugo Zuanni (WP)
4. Craig Van Greunen (EP)
Super Vets:
1. Chris Knutsen (SC)
2. Gary Van Rooyan (WP)
3. Bushy Greef (KZN)
4. Keith Kelly (WP)
Legends:
1. Dave Hill (EP)
2. Mike Larmont (KZN)
3. Patrick Corbitt (WP)
4. Attie Van der Pass (KZN)
Super Legends:
1.Greg Stokes (SC)
2. George Bunting (WP)
3. Peter Randle (WP)
4. Mike Patterson (KZN)
Senior Ladies:
1. Lisa Smith (KZN)
2. Madz Nixon (KZN)
3. Therese Russel (WP)
4. Bernie Shelly (WP)