Cell C Goodwave 2017 – Watching The Horizon
Craig Jarvis keeping us up to date for the upcoming event…Thanks Jarvi!
Cell C Goodwave teaser video – www.youtube.com/watch
New Pier, Durban – The recent fast and wild storm swell has passed, and we’re all looking forward to the next clean, deep-lined ‘Goodwave swell’ to show up at New Pier.
The Cell C Goodwave official swell forecaster Spike from Wavescape had this to say about the last swell. “That swell contains a lot of mixed up directions and intervals and sizes. These swells straight off the end of the wind fetch will always create good individual waves every now and then, but with a lot of weak, and bumpy waves in between.”
Wild and stormy seas from the last swell ©Flanagan
According to Spike there are bits and pieces on the maps for the upcoming weeks.
“The storms are fragmented and lacking uniformity and directional fetch for Durban,” reckoned Spike. “The high pressure systems are still ruling the roost, sitting too far south. A small storm does form off the coast on Friday, and has a small chance of upgrading into something interesting next week, but it’s early days for that. The other system is a giant storm just north of the ice shelf that blasts a SSE fetch towards Durban this Thursday. However it’s a five-day travel away, and it must pass through the Roaring Forties and several cold fronts before it makes landfall next week, with the swell direction also likely to be too southerly.”
Contest Director Jason Ribbink is confident that the Cell C Goodwave will run within a fairly short period of time.
“As Spike mentioned, we are not looking for those swells that have so many different variables, with different wave heights and directions,” said Ribbink. “We’re waiting for that classic day when the New Pier is just perfect, big barrels all day. When it comes the event will run.”
As an added bonus on the day, Cell C Durban is going to be offering free WiFi on the beach and around the contest site all day. So apart from watching the action live you can get all the replays, commentary and scores on your phone or device for free. This is pretty cool. If you happen to miss a 10-point ride or something else just as remarkable, then it’s going to be available for you on your phone, and you can access via Cell C’s free WiFi.
• The Cell C Goodwave is a South African Surfing Legends event, with Jason Ribbink the contest director.
• California Dreaming, overlooking New Pier on the beachfront, will host the competition on the day. Oakley and Sun International are both supporting sponsors.
• The four World Surf League Specialty Events for 2017 can be found herehttp://www.worldsurfleague.
Invited surfers, in no order:
Brandon Jackson, Matt McGillivray, Dale Staples, Shane Sykes, Mikey February, Josh Redman, Damien Fahrenfort, Dan Redman, Mike Frew, Simon Nicholson, Gavin Roberts, Frankie Oberholzer, Matt Bromley, Davey Weare, Grant Baker, Chris Leppan, Sean Holmes, Ricky Basnett, Jason Ribbink, Beyrick de Vries, Gary van Wieringen, Dylan Lightfoot, Chad du Toit, Brendan O’Connor, Warwick Wright, Noel Rahme, Shane Thorne, Paul Canning, Richard Kidd, Davey van Zyl, Robbie Schofield, Greg Emslie.
Alternate surfers, in no order:
Secret International VIP, Alan Johns, Josh Smit, Jordy Maree, Adin Jeenes, Simon Fish, Joshe Faulkner, Matt Pallet, Stever Sawyer, Dylan Stewart, Lee Bisset, Scott Venter, Billy Payne, Scott Hamilton, Ryan Payne, Sam Christianson, Derek Footit, Ben Dancaster, Bevan Willis, Koby Oberholzer, Antonio Bortoletto, Manfred Adrio, Wes O’Driscoll, Elton Cuthbert, Andrew Lange, Blane Wood, Chris Frolich, Wade Simkiss, Rene Terblanche, Frank Solomon, Mikhael ‘MK’ Vawda, Casey Grant, Andrew Banks.
The Cell C Goodwave – in loving memory of Lee Wolins.