A RECORD 170 of KZN’s top ranking wave-riders ranging from U10 to O55 from Ugu, eThekwini, iLembe and King Cetshwayo competed for individual and team honours over two days at Bronze Beach in Umhlanga.
Surfers had their work cut out for them on day one, as they were met by testing north-east conditions.
Competitors were made to work hard and those who advanced to day two were rewarded with gentle south-westerly winds and contestable conditions. Wave size ranged from two feet to the occasional four foot set.
Sixteen of the premier surfers in the masters 35-plus division took to the water in what some claim to be the most competitive division surfed. It was Warner Beach’s Gary Van Wieringen who took the win by one point over Alan Johns in second. Gary has placed second for two years running, so he was especially happy to have won this year.
Another Toti local Mikey Venter beat nine other surfers in the Casio Air Show. Mikey took home a Casio G Shock watch valued at close on R4,000.
Commentator and former Championship Tour campaigner Greg Swart said: “The provincial championships was a smashing success, with surfers once again raising the bar. The standard of surfing was excellent. There’s been a definite growth in surfing, especially among the U12 boys and girls from last year. It was a great event all-round. A lot of factors came together – the weather on the final day, the organisation and the intensity that everybody brought to the contest.”
