Ugu Surfriders barrel down to East London
The team will compete against the best in the country this week in East London.
Surfing legend Heather Clark leads the Ugu Surfriders senior side at the 53rd South African Surfing Championships, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz and hosted by Buffalo City in East London, which is under way from Tuesday, August 7 to Sunday, August 12 .
Clark who won ‘surfer of the contest’ trophy last year will be competing in the open and masters’ divisions.
ALSO READ: Heather Clark brings home the trophies from Benz SA Surfing Championships in East London
This is a very big event that caters for about 160 surfers in nine divisions.
Rising star Jesse Powell from St Mike’s will also compete in the open women’s class. In October, she will go on to compete in the Junior SA Championships in J-Bay in the under-16 division.
Gary van Wieringen from Warner Beach is back to defend the 2014, over 40s SA title he won in East London.
Another local taking on the best in the country is Justin Maisch from Pumula who placed third in the masters division last year. Justin started surfing competitively at a young age and dominated the junior ranks. He earned his Springbok colours to surf the world games in Bali and Brazil. He then went on to the world pro series, surfing and travelling throughout South Africa and Europe, reaching the top 200 on the world rankings.
Another rising ripper is 22-year-old Simo Mkhize, who is one of the many hot young surfers to keep your eye on. This talented young man has come a long way since his early years of shredding the Umzumbe bowl.
He will join other open wave-riders, Cody Coetsee from Scottburgh (placed third in men’s final last year), Ryan Klynsmith from Winklespruit and young gung-ho charger, Derek Horlock from Umtentweni, who scooped one of the biggest awards in the surfing calendar when he took first prize in the Striped Horse Challenge last year.
Making up the rest of the team’s masters riders are Chad Delport from Durban, Warren ‘Wazo’ Wareing from Durban (placed fourth last year in the finals), Carl Roux from Umhlanga (placed second last year in the over 45s) and Daryl Adamson from Richard’s Bay (claimed second place in the over 50s division).
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