WP hang ten
Monday 23 May 2011 Simone Robb from Western Province yesterday outclassed her competitors on the opening day of the South African Longboard surfing championship at Durban’s New Pier, write Fred Kockott and Joel Burton.
Others, such as Brad Trickett, masters competitor, walked their first heat (sorry), but appeared to give it their all. The camera seldom lies (above).
“So far I have been lucky with the waves,” said Robb, a former world tour competitor who will also be among the 32 best women surfers in the world to compete at the Association of Professional Surfers’ (ASP) Women’s World Longboard Surfing Championships on the Basque coast of Biarritz, France from 10 to 14 July.
In the open men’s division, the first round heats were dominated by Justin Bing (WP), Dylan Macleod (EP), Michael Grendon (WP), Ludi du Toit (EP) and Josh Schmeltzer (KZN).
Tomorrow Bing and MacLeod come up against Wade Brodovich, (KZN) and current SA title holder, Mathew Moir in round two of the championship.
“It’s almost going to be as good as a final,” said contest commentator and president of the South African Longboard Surfing association, Justin Bing.
Other stand out performers of the day were Brandon Ribbink (grand masters), Brad Trickett (masters) and David Stubbs (senior men) who won their opening heats in their respective divisions. Brad Weare, tipped as a contender for this year’s open men’s title, did not fare as well he had hoped in his opening heat.
“The waves were very inconsistent. I ended up waiting on the backline for most of the heat,” said Weare. But with no contestants knocked out in round 1, Weare is confident of a strong comeback in round two.