Glen Anil resident surfs to KZN crown
David Williams secured a third provincial title at the champs.
GLEN Anil resident David Williams made three back-to-back provincial titles at this year’s AIRE-ZA KwaZulu-Natal Para Surfing Championships.
The 33-year-old, who was born without legs below the knee, competes in the kneel division.
He will now represent KZN at the Tyrelife Solutions SA Para Surf Championships in May in Cape Town.
The event will also double as the first stop of the Para Surf League (PSL) tour where athletes get to be a part of the PSL Global rankings.
Also read: Glen Anil resident wins back-to-back Midmar Mile title
It is a prospect that excites Williams who gets to rub shoulders with some of his idols in the sport of adaptive surfing.
“Representing KZN means everything to me. It will never not be an honour, and it is always a special feeling. I’ve never surfed in Cape Town, and with the SA nationals being held there, I’m looking forward to it. It is super exciting but also nerve-wracking. Another exciting aspect for me is it forms the first stop of the Para Surf League. There will be a fair amount of international surfers taking part and two people I look up to in the sport.
“Llywelyn Sponge Williams and Josh Bogle are two of my biggest heroes in the sport, and they are both coming down to SA. They are definitely going to push me to reach new levels. I will also be ‘fanboying’, so the level of excitement is palpable. Of course, I would love to repeat my performance from last year where I was crowned SA champ, but I know it’s going to be tough,” he said.
Speaking on his KZN champs crown, Williams said he was ecstatic with the results.
“I was so humbled and pleased with my performances. Having said that, this was by far the closest and toughest champs in the worst conditions I’ve ever surfed in. I made a rookie mistake in the heats by wearing new sleeves for my stumps. They kept slipping off and made steering the board that much harder. I felt so despondent at the end of the heats, but I was determined to do my best despite the challenges,” he said.
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