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Quiksilver Surf Series Heads To Port Alfred For Final Event Of 2015 Series

Quiksilver Surf Series Heads To Port Alfred For Final Event Of 2015 Series  

Diran Zakarian (Melkbosstrand, Cape Town) will be one of the favourites in the U20 junior boys and open men's division going into the final leg of the Quiksilver Get Free Series 2015 in Port Alfred. Photo by Luke Patterson.
Diran Zakarian (Melkbosstrand, Cape Town) will be one of the favourites in the U20 junior boys and open men’s division going into the final leg of the Quiksilver Get Free Series 2015 in Port Alfred.
Photo by Luke Patterson.

Port Alfred – The Quiksilver Get Free Surf Series will, at the end of August, head to the town of Port Alfred on the Sunshine Coast for the final event of this three-part series. On the 29th and 30th of August South Africa’s best open men and junior surfers will make their way to the pristine beaches of Port Alfred, just an hour and a half’s drive south of East London to compete for over R30 000 in prize money and the final Quiksilver Get Free titles.

 

All three events in the series are sanctioned by Surfing South Africa and carry 3A PST (Pro Surf Tour) ratings points with a total prize purse of R108 000 on the line. Divisions in the series and final event include open mens, U20 junior boys and U16 junior boys. Port Alfred’s East Beach is a highly regarded surf break, given favourable conditions and swell it could make for the perfect amphitheatre for a high performance showdown. “Port Alfred is definitely a top venue for an event of this nature, when the waves are on, they are on! I can’t wait to surf a heat there, the contest should be great,” said Shane Sykes, the winner of the U20 junior boys division at the second leg of the series which was held in Umhlanga Rocks, KZN.

 

In the open men’s division, favourites for the win include Umhlanga’s Beyrick de Vries who recently placed 9th in the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach and is currently on top form, Capetonian Michael February who was runner up to de Vries in the second leg of the series as well as the duo of experienced veterans Daniel Redman and Brandon Jackson, both of Durban North. Jeffreys Bay locals Matt McGillivray and Dylan Lightfoot will be strong contenders in the U20 junior boys division but other previous junior winners Shane Sykes (Salt Rock) and Diran Zakarian (Melkbosstrand) will also be serious contenders in the point-like conditions. There will be stiff competition in the U16 boys division with the likes of Sebastian Williams (Durban), Adin Masencamp (Strand) and Faulkner brothers Joshe and Angelo (Jeffreys Bay) all on top form and hungry for the final win.

 

Quiksilver Marketing and Sales Manager Dane Patterson has been very happy with the 2015 series and anticipates that the final event in Port Alfred will deliver great surf conditions, “I think that the series we’ve put on this year has been very well received, good for the South African surfers and for our domestic surf tour, we’re hoping that it will encourage other brands to invest more in the sport and the local surf scene. Port Alfred can be a very good venue and make for a top event when the ocean delivers, so we’re hoping that mother nature comes to the party for the final event of the series.”

 

Supporting sponsors to the series include Zigzag Surfing Magazine, Techniblock sunscreen, Drift action camera’s, Skullcandy, Neff and Red Bull.

 

For more information, videos, photos and entry details go to www.quiksilver.co.za/getfree.

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The Wild Coast to Port Alfred by Panorama

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Our first panorama of the trip was taken by Johnny van Biljon, very early, at Mdumbi, in the Transkei. The shad never materialised this morning, but the evening before, 47 in total were pulled out.

The Wild Coast to Port Alfred by Panorama

Having Johnny van Biljon along on this trip (distributing Mydo’s and gathering news), with his iPhone 5, has opened up a whole new way of capturing the moment. Johnny, who has had many years experience in the film and tv industries, has an eye for a great scene a good shot.

Our dear friends Warren and Noli enjoy the view down to Umtata Mouth and beyond, from their stoep.
Our Mdumbi friends Warren and Noli enjoy the view down to Umtata Mouth and beyond, from their stoep.

Johnny is currently dabbling in panoramic photography such as what has made the iPhone (Ok and Android) smartphones so nifty.

As we drove through the Transkei, we stopped for a few more spectacular vistas.

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The bridge over the Umtata River as shot by Johnny van Biljon and his handy iPhone 5, in panorama mode.

And then finally into the spectacular scene that was Port Alfred on an upcoming moon and an outgoing tide.

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The Royal Alfred Marina as viewed from Willows Camping on the south bank. Millionaire’s view for a song (R130 per night). And garrick (leeries around here) swimming up and down out front, in the crystal clear water.

Although the fish were easily seen, they were very shy in the crystal clear water. The visibility must have been 10 metres or more. We threw all sorts at them, and were not alone as local spinning mad anglers lined the jetties and hot spots. Very nice fishing. One guy got a strong pull on a live mullet right in front of us, but garrick are highly suspicious and this one must have felt something because he let go after a good 10 meter screaming run.

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The office set up, the lines out, and the braai on the go. All we need now are some garrick to get hungry as us.

Local veteran of these waters, and our fishing host Peter, gave us the rundown on what fish are here right now and its Silver Steenbras / Pignose Grunter / Steenies / White Steenbras that are causing the scene. The biggest so far this season, in the canals, was 14kg’s.

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Kelly’s Beach is a Blue Flag spot a few kms south of the Port Alfred piers. Safe looking.

Kelly’s Beach offers much safer bathing and even surfing (on the right tides and swells), and half way between Port Alfred and Kelly’s, is Halfway – another ominous resemblance to a surf spot.

More panoramas to follow, as we tour back to KZN. And here, our parting shot…saying good bye to the attractive coastal town, of Port Alfred. Thanks Johhny van Biljon for stepping up as photographer/DOP.

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Good night and good bye Port Alfred…panoramas by Johnny van Biljon

Newsflash: Sports n All in Port Alfred, officially stock Mydo Lures.

 

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