Captain Duarte Rato gives an entertaining account of the Blue Marlin World Cup 2015, on his new website fishbazaruto.com. Click the following links to read all about it…
A Blue Marlin leaves the water as pro photographer Captain Duarte rato hits the shutter.
The competition is unique, exciting and worldwide. And as a result has grown in popularity over the decades. Read the following excerpt and click this link to check out the full story.
“No other big game tournament allows teams to fish anywhere in the world for 8 hours in their time zones. The World Cup is for 1 day only, for 1 species only and with 1 winner only. There is no second place in the World Cup.
The entry fee of $3000 includes everyone on the boat. The OPTIONAL additional $5000 BIG BLUE CHALLENGE is for those who want to win an even BIGGER AWARD, (see rule 10). In 2011 this division was won with a 585 lb Kona blue marlin.”
The competition was won by Madeira…congratulations!
High Drama And Upsets On Day Two Of The RVCA Junior Challenge
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Lower Point, Jeffreys Bay – Solid four- to five-foot pumping surf made for epic conditions on Day Two of the RVCA Junior Challenge at Lower Point. While the waves offered high scoring potential, the increased size also made for physically demanding conditions with long paddles back up the point.
Not to be outdone by the big boys who were competing in the JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA up the point at Supertubes (eventually won by Slade Prestwich), the youngsters seemed to up their game.
Kommetjie’s Ford van Jaarsveldt showed what needed to be done in the premier U20 Boys division. The stylish regular footer rode three waves only, carving his way to pocket 7s. “My strategy was to just sit and wait for the sets,” he said afterward. “If you are on the bigger waves they’re going to give you the bigger scores,” he said.
“I’m super stoked it’s picked up, these bigger waves really suit my style of surfing. Was also so much fun to be out there with just three other guys out. If the conditions were like this on any other day it would be so crowded,” he said.
Ford, perhaps more favoured in his own division, was knocked out of U16 boys. Other favourites to lose out were Jake Elkington in the U16 Boys and Anoush Zakarian in the U20 Girls.
Arguably the best heat of the weekend was semi final one in the U16 Boys. Adin Masencamp, Joshe Faulkner, Sebastian Williams and Ryan Lightfoot traded wave-for-wave as the sun dipped and the ocean went smooth as glass. At the end of the epic encounter it was Adin Masencamp with both the highest single wave score (9.5) and highest heat score (18.25) who advanced to the finals with JBay local Joshe Faulkner who was surfing his fourth heat of the day.
They will meet Calvin Goor and Ethan Fletcher tomorrow.
Other standouts on the day included Julian Zens in the U14 Boys, who convincingly beating local Ryan Lightfoot to advance into that division’s semi finals and Mossel Bay’s Nina Harmse, who posted a 9.0 in her U16 Girls quarter final.
St Francis Bay’s Crystal Hulett also impressed, dropping two big scores within the first 10 minutes in her U20 Girls heat, having to run around after the second. “Getting that first wave is crucial,” she said afterward, having beaten Olivia Izzard into second, with Anna Jelema Butler in third and Jade Mets in fourth. “It’s always my strategy to get that first one. There were a lot of wide sets, but on the inside there were smaller, hollower waves running along the shelf which you could really hit and do some powerful turns on,” she said. “So I tried to vary between the outside sets, by watching Supers to know when they’d be coming down the point; while trying to maintain the inside.”
She later advanced to the final, along with Olivia Izzard; Nicole Pallet and Kai Woolf.
The forecast looks favourable for tomorrow when the winners will be crowned. Other action to look forward is a the Paddle Battle in association with Red Bull. This paddle battle is open to surfers 16 years and older, and there will be a Rayne Camera, Stance socks and other sponsor products in the prize package. As well as the Spraymate Paint Jam where the groms will be let loose with hundreds of cans of paint to go wild in an expression-session paint jam.
Co-sponsors include Stance, Firewire, Future Fins, Posca, Havaianas, Nixon, Rayne Cameras, Zigzag Magazine, Posca and Red Bull.
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The RVCA Junior Challenge is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa. Surfing South Africa is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), and recognised by the Dept. of Sport and Recreation as the national controlling body for surfing.
Durban based surfer Slade Prestwich won the JBU Supertrial, presented by RVCA in solid 4 – 6 foot surf at Supertubes in Jeffreys Bay today (Sunday).
Combining long drawn-out bottom turns with big carves off the top, Prestwich overcame a strong challenge from Mikey February in the f
inal of the JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA. Local surfers Shaun and Ryan Payne finished in third and fourth position respectively.
Prestwich won the coveted wild card entry into the World Surf League’s Championship Tour event, the JBay Open of Surfing, which will be held in Jeffreys Bay from 8 – 19 July.
“Surfing Supertubes with just three other guys in the line up was the highlight of the Supertrial for me,” said an excited Prestwich after his win.
“Seeing three big sets coming and knowing I could take any waves I wanted too was an amazing feeling and I cannot wait to surf against the likes of Kelly Slater in the JBay Open next month”.
Prestwich is guaranteed a minimum purse of R109 000 for competing in the WSL JBay Open, the only World Championship Tour event that is held on the African continent.
Contest director Koffie Jacobs who called the Supertrial on this morning was happy with the conditions on the day.
“Supertubes delivered yet again and proved why it is rated as one of the best waves in the world. It was tough having to call off the JBU Supertrial last weekend with the gigantic surf that battered the coastline but waiting the extra week was worthwhile as we witnessed a high standard of surfing today in Jeffreys Bay.”
Watched by nearly 1 000 spectators on the beach, Ryan Payne won the award for the worst surfed best wave, while Davey Van Zyl won an Arbor skateboard for the best carve of the event.
Shaun Payne won a Nixon watch for the best barrel of the JBU Supertrial, while Mikey February won a Firewire surfboard for being nominated as the surfer of the event.
The JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA, forms part of the annual JBay Winterfest – www.jbaywinterfest.com, a multi sports festival which takes place every July in Jeffreys Bay and is presented by Woodlands Dairy.
The JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa. Surfing South Africa is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), and recognised by the Dept. of Sport and Recreation as the national controlling body for surfing.
The JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA is supported by Arbor, Firewire, Stance, Nixon, Monster Energy South Africa, Zigzag Magazine and El Jimador Tequila.
Massive Swell At Supertubes Causes JBU Supertrial Presented By RVCA To Be Postponed.
JBay – A monstrous, out-of-control south swell at Supertubes left the contest organisers of the JBU Supertrial Presented By RVCA no choice but to call the event off for the day. As the gathered contestants watched, enormous and unruly waves swept through the lineup as one of the biggest swells in decades hammered the Jeffreys Bay coastline. Conditions were deemed totally unrideable, as well as dangerous, and the event was called off.
The JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA has a waiting period that runs from 1 – 12 June, leaving the contest organisers seven more days to run the contest. The event winner will receive a wildcard slot into the World Surfing League’s JBay Open Championship Tour event, which takes place from 8 to 19 July. This surfer will receive a minimum prize of US$9,000 (R110,500). The JBay Open forms the anchor event of the JBay Winterfest presented by Woodlands Dairy – www.jbaywinterfest.com
“The surf today looked to be about 12-foot, possibly bigger, and totally unrideable,” said JBU’s Koffie Jacobs. “It’s big, there are some really strong currents out there, and the conditions have been deemed dangerous. We have decided to call the event off for the day, and we will wait for another day during the waiting period when we have cleaner and more manageable conditions.”
Local surfer and competitor Remi Peterson attempted to paddle out further up the beach, but was pushed back to the shoreline by the relentless sets. “I just got hammered out there,” said Peterson. “There was no way out.”
Determined to get out for a few waves, he then attempted to paddle out from the normal paddle out spot further down the beach, but was immediately swept down the point and got caught inside by a giant set of waves.
“It’s really big out there and it just isn’t contestable,” said East London surfer, former World Tour professional and National Junior Team Coach Greg Emslie. “I think this swell caught all of us by surprise. It’s a lot bigger and more powerful than initially forecast, and it’s just not good out there at all.”
The swell forecast shows potential towards the end of the waiting period, and the competitors will reconvene at JBay when the conditions look more favourable.
Nixon South Africa will be awarding a Nixon Tangent Sports Watch valued at R6 000 for the surfer who rides the best tube in the event, as well as a Nixon Blaster for the event winner.
The JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa. Surfing South Africa is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), and recognised by the Dept. of Sport and Recreation as the national controlling body for surfing.
The JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA precedes the JBay Open WSL Championship Tour event, which takes place during the JBay Winterfest.
The JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA is supported by Arbor, Firewire, Stance, Nixon, Monster Energy South Africa, Zigzag Magazine and El Jimador Tequila.
Local Beyrick De Vries Wins 2nd Quiksilver Surf Event in Durban
Beyrick De Vries in action at the second event of the Quiksilver Get Free Series 2015. De Vries placed first in the open men’s division. The event was held at Bronze Beach, Umhlanga, Durban. Photo by Luke Patterson
Umhlanga, Durban – Local surfer, Beyrick De Vries surfed his way to victory this weekend in the premier open men’s division at the second of three Quiksilver Get Free events. Over 70 of South Africa’s top competitive surfers were greeted with solid 4 to 5 foot groundswell for the final day of competition at Bronze Beach, Umhlanga.
Beyrick De Vries (Umhlanga) on his way to winning the second event of three Quiksilver Get Free events in 2015. De Vries placed first in the open men’s division. The event was held at Bronze Beach, Umhlanga, Durban. Photo by Luke Patterson
De Vries was a clear standout and looked very comfortable in every one of his heats throughout the two-day event at his local surf break. De Vries’s power surfing combined with his impressive aerial moves proved too good for his competitors and he clinched the title ahead of Capetonian, Michael February who placed second, Dale Staples of Westbrook took third place and Brandon Jackson also of Durban finished in fourth place.
“It was so nice to win at my home break. I just got back from Los Angeles so have been a bit jet-lagged but I am really stoked with the win, thank God there were waves, Bronze beach was cooking today,” said De Vries.
Day one of the event was called off early due to the small swell and a rising tide. The last four heats of the Open Mens division were moved to day two, which produced near perfect competition conditions. “I’d like to thank all of the local guys and my sponsors for all of the support,” a smiling De Vries added, taking home R8000, a top of the range Drift Innovation action camera, Skullcandy headphones and some stylish Neff gear.
In the U20 junior boys division it was pre-event favourite, Shane Sykes of Salt Rock who stole the show winning a cool R4000. J-Bay’s Dylan Lightfoot placed a respectable 2nd while Matt McGillivray also of Jeffrey’s Bay was relegated to 3rd place. McGillivray who is back from a recent injury showed good form to find himself a podium finish, while Wade Simkiss from Umdloti finished in fourth position.
Sebastian Williams (Berea, Durban) took top honors in the U16 division. Williams stamped his authority on the final and claimed the title ahead of Ethan Fletcher (Kommetjie), Jake Elkington (Hout Bay) and Adin Masencamp (Strand), who placed second, third and fourth, respectively.
Event sponsors, Quiksilver were very happy with the second event of the series. “We could not have asked better beach weather this weekend. Bronze Beach came alive on the final day proving to be a world class beach break with South Africa’s best surfers pulling out all of the stops to impress spectators. Even though the first day of competition lacked swell and was difficult for the competitors, conditions were perfect for the final day. With explosive surfing in 4-5 foot clean conditions, we were very proud to be the title sponsors of this event and we would like to thank everyone that took part,” said Quiksilver Team Rider and Event co-ordinator, Brandon Jackson.
The third and final stop of the Surfing South Africa 3A rated event series will take place in 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 RedBull. The Quiksilver Get Free Series offers a total of R108 000 in prize money as well as generous product prizes.
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