Surf success on bended knee
Marc will compete for the world title in New Zealand in 2020.
Kneeboarder Marc Barry has only been living on the South Coast, but he’s proud to call it home, and has already flown the local flag with some pride at the recent South African Kneeboard Championships, held in Port Alfred, where he won the senior division.
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Marc currently lives in Ramsgate and now surfs for Southern KwaZulu-Natal.
“I brought the title home against some really stiff competition from the Western Province competitors,” he said.
He should know, he’s from the Cape originally … so that might have hurt the locals there, seeing the trophy head the same way as the Currie Cup trophy!
(For those who don’t follow rugby, the Sharks beat Western Province 17-12 to win the trophy at Newlands not so long ago.)
Marc owns an international recruitment agency and can basically choose to live anywhere in the world.
But he chose the South Coast, partly because of its excellent surf, but also because, in his words: “the people here have been so good to me.”
“The waves on this coast are world-class. I have never surfed such good waves like I have here. I am also very fortunate to be able to surf with ex world championship surfer Royden Bryson, who is my good friend, coach and surf partner,” he said.
“He has taken me to some wild places and we have scored some of the most perfect waves the world has to offer. I also work for Royden’s surf school in Southbroom and we teach people how to surf.”
Marc is currently number three in the world for kneeboard surfing,while Royden, who surfed the world tour for 15 years, is arguably one of the best goofy foot surfers in the world at the moment.
“I chose kneeboarding because of my love of the kneeboard surfing video Crystal Voyager. We also have one of the best kneeboard surfers in the world in Gigs Celliers. He is now my good friend and the main reason I started kneeboard surfing. The way he surfs is mind-blowing.”
Marc will compete for the world title in New Zealand in 2020.
He knows a thing or two about the pressure, having been there and very nearly done it some years ago.
“The last time I surfed for the world title, I placed third placed third in the men’s division,” he said.
He reckons kneeboard surfing allows him to get the best tube rides, which is what all surfers are looking to do.
“No other surf craft can compare with the tube rides we get,” he said.
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