Two Bits – 22 May 2015

The Durban 500, Gunston 500, Mr Price Pro and now just “The Ballito Pro” – this iconic surf event enters a new chapter in its history as the oldest professional surfing event in the world.
It’s not the oldest surfing competition, but as prize money has been paid since day one in 1969, 47 years ago, it’s the oldest professional one. When Mr Price pulled out late last year after six years of sponsorship here and many years before in Durban, everyone’s hearts sank. The contract to produce the event is between the World Surf League and KwaDukuza municipality, and we know the second one, for sure, doesn’t have a lot of loose change for an event like this. It is, after all, the biggest beach festival on the continent, with anything between 100 and 200 000 visitors in event week.
As it turned out, all it took was a phone call to Billabong marketing manager Chad D’Arcy for him to say “We’re in”. That company will be doing the heavy lifting and that’s why the event is known as The Ballito Pro presented by Billabong.
It’s great that the women’s event will be back. You may remember the big waves in 2009 meant the women’s event couldn’t be completed, but why they cancelled it going forward I don’t know. The waves every year after that have been quite small.
Durban-born surfer Jordy Smith will be back for another crack at the title. He was the fourth South African to win the event, an honour he shares with 1969 Gunston 500 winner Gavin Rudolph (PE), six times (1973-78) winner Shaun Tomson (Durban) and 2006 winner Ricky Basnett (Bluff).
We at the Courier are chuffed that we will be producing the official event programme and publicity material, through the Courier locally and through Caxton group newspapers and social media throughout the province and in Gauteng. So hopefully the crowds will grow even more over time.
In this week’s issue are details of the trophy design competition, for the new competition. The old Mr Price one won’t do. So designers out there, get designing! No big prize money – only bragging rights and a free pass to the event. Plus you’ll get your picture in the Courier. Woo hoo!
When the event first came to Ballito in 2007, a lot of folk were sceptical about its promised effect on the local economy. And I’m not sure myself how much it develops in rand terms, considering that most of the visitors will be day trippers from greater Durban. But when it comes to putting Ballito on the international map, the marketing value is uncountable. It’s a gift, a unique chance to impress visitors and reap the benefits in the long term.
I know that we would definitely regret it if we lost the event. I hear that Durban has been arm-twisting hard behind the scenes to get the event back, but so far the WSL is very happy with Ballito.
The current contract with WSL expires in 2017, but hopefully the bond will prove impossible to break.
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The SADTU strike that forced the closure of Umhlali Prep last week was highly irritating for all concerned. If that particularly militant bunch have a beef with their boss, then make a fuss at her offices. There’s no need to disrupt the schooling of our children.
I was at the school that morning, and I have to hand it to principal Astra Russell. She stood at the school gate with her back firmly to the strikers and greeted every parent who came to fetch their kids, apologising for the inconvenience.
She is as solid as a rock and will be a great loss when she retires in a few years.
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An archeological research team is excavating in Pompei, the Mediterranean city destroyed by volcanic eruption about 2 000 years ago.
While digging in areas that were primarily volcanic rock, they came across a relatively small building. Upon further examination, they found multiple holding cells within, with what appeared to be human remains interred. The research team determined that this building was most likely a jail of some sort, and that these people were inside at the time of the eruption. The team took some of the bones to perform radiocarbon dating to determine the age of these individuals.
The bones were then sent to the lab, where it was determined that the individuals were hardened criminals.