GRADE Seven learner at Kloof Senior Primary School, Taio-Marveille Coulonval, won the coveted title of SA Bodyboarding Champion of the U12 Girls’ division at the recent SA Champs held in Port Alfred during the September school holidays.

The 12-year-old also got awarded Most Improved Rider for 2024.

More than 100 riders descended on Port Alfred to take part in this annual event where teams from around the country come together to ride for the Prestigious Fishman Trophy.

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Taio-Marveille took on the challenge, winning her first heat, coming second in the next heat, and then progressing onto the final on Day Four.

The young champ said she has been a part of the eThekwini Bodyboarding Association (EBA) and has received her KZN Blazer for the past six years.

“I started bodyboarding when I was five years old. I was introduced by my brother, Teegan Coulonval, who is a Pro Rider. He took me out on his board and caught a wave with me. The bug hit, and from then on, I have been bodyboarding, and I love it,” she said.

In 2025, Taio-Marveille will move up to the U16 category and said it will be a new challenge for her.

In August, she was chosen by her school as the SPAR Star of the Month. This followed her selection as the goalkeeper for the Pirates U14 Girls’ team in the 2024 Durban Premier League.

The tournament offered a platform for Taio-Marveille to showcase her skills at one of the most well-known hockey festivals in KwaZulu-Natal.

Anyone who would like to try bodyboarding can contact eThekwini chairperson Saul Basckin on 061 606 1000.

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