Fortunately the internet and guys like Jean Tresfon can team up and disseminate photographical evidence of major pollution problems. From this, people can collude further, as what have done here…and maybe a result can be attained. More often than not, the scapegoat government we have is really up to it’s eyeballs in literal poo-poo so that it really is up to us, the people, to persevere, buzz the right bells, click the right links, make the right calls. That’s right, we have to get involved. Help even. It really is up to us now. They that are there, just aren’t…
Acknowledgements to Jean Tresfon, catch him on FB right here…
Local February Wins Opening Quiksilver Surf Event in Cape Town
Michael February on fire surfing Cape Town
Kommetjie, Cape Town – Local surfer Michael February surfed his way to victory this weekend in the premier open men’s division at the first of three Quiksilver Get Free events. Over eighty of South Africa’s top competitive surfers were greeted with clean offshore 3 feet surf for the final day of competition at Kommetjie’s popular Long Beach.
February was a clear standout and looked very comfortable in every one of his heats throughout the two day event at his local surf break. His radical manoeuvres and flowing surfing proved too good for his competitors. Mother nature delivered and the surf turned on for the latter heats of the day which made for an exciting and close open men’s final. Steven Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay) also managed to put on a great display of surfing to finish in second place behind the inform February. Kommetjie’s Davey Brand and stalwart Llewellyn Whittaker of Mossel Bay both performed well to make the men’s final and finished in third and fourth place respectively.
February was clearly very happy with his win and thanked his family for all of their support, “I haven’t won an event in a while so it feels really good to take this win, the waves were tricky at times but the ocean delivered when it counted most and all the finalists stepped it up. I’d like to thank my family and sponsors for all the support,” said the elated winner at the awards ceremony. The 21 year old earned himself R8 000 in cash, a DRIFT action camera and some valuable Pro Surf Tour points for his efforts.
In the U20 junior boys division it was Matt McGillivray of Jeffreys Bay who stole the show. McGillivray snatched the win in the dying minutes of the heat with his clean progressive surfing to pip Jeffreys Bay’s Jerry Van Wyk into second place. Youngsters Max Elkington (Hout Bay) and Adin Masencamp (Strand) both surfed out of their boots to make the finals while surfing up a division to finish in third and fourth respectively.
The Strand’s Adin Masencamp had a cracker of a final in the boys U16 division to blow his competition out of the water scoring a massive 9.25 points out of a possible 10 on his opening ride of the final. Masencamp was in complete rhythm with the ocean and claimed the title hands down ahead of Joshe Faulkner (Jeffrey’s Bay), Jake Elkington (Hout Bay) and Ethan Fletcher (Kommetjie).
Event sponsors Quiksilver were very happy with the opening event of their series, “Cape Town can be a very tricky venue to run events but we’re happy with how the first event of our series played out, the weather was great, the locals came out to watch and the surf came alive when it counted most. We’re excited for the next two events in Umhlanga Rocks and Port Alfred,” said Quiksilver’s marketing manager Dane Patterson. The next stop of the series is in Umhlanga on the 30th and 31st of May with the final event planned for Port Alfred on the 29th and 30th of August.
Supporting sponsors to the series include Techniblock sunscreen, Drift action camera’s, Skullcandy, Zigzag Surfing Magazine, Neff and Red Bull. The Quiksilver Get Free Series offers a total of R108 000 in prize money as well as generous product prizes for competing surfers.
Surfers Rally For A Good Cause As Movember Heads For Llandudno Beach
Llandudno, Cape Town – On Saturday the 1st of November surfers of all kinds will congregate at Cape Town’s Llandudno beach for a fun day out at the Off The Lip Movember Surf Jam. This event, which is hosted by Quiksilver and the Movember foundation, is aimed at creating awareness as well as raising funds for men’s prostate cancer, testicular cancer and other men’s health issues. Surfers participating in the event are encouraged to dress in seventies surf gear, alter-ego’s welcome, use surfboards from the seventies era and don freshly shaven upper lips to mark the start of a hair-raising month for creating awareness for the Movember movement.
The event will see eight six-man heats take to the icy Cape waters with the traditional beach start in practice. Unlike traditional surf competitions, surfers will be judged on their style, flow and creative approach to each wave. Judges will include South African surf legends Tich Paul and Gavin Rudolph. Various fun awards such as “Vert Alert”, “Spin To Win”, “Wave Waster” and “Best Dressed Mo In Character” will be handed out to surfers and spectators alike. Various single and twin fin surfboards from the seventies era will be on hand for surfers to test drive, old school rock ’n roll surf tunes will be the order of the day which will culminate in a six-man final to crown the eventual seventies surf master. Action gets underway at 10.00am with the finals expected to be held at 3.00pm.
All proceeds raised on the day through the compulsory R100 participation fee will be donated to the Movember foundation and their men’s health partner, CANSA. All surfers, families, friends and members of the public are welcome to come down to the beach to join in the fun and support a good cause. Quiksilver’s Dane Patterson is excited for the event and hopes to see it well supported, “We are very proud to be associated with Movember and such a good cause, we really hope that the surf community can pull together to support the event. It promises to be a fun day out with some classic traditional surfing.”
For more information about Movember and to register and start your fund raising visitwww.movember.com. To purchase Movember merchandise and support a good cause visitwww.boardriders.co.za/movember.
Dan Redman flying in sunglasses and moustache at Llandudno! (C) Nick Ferreira
