By Robin De Kock –Surfing South Africa - www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

SENIOR CONTESTS
2008 REEF WETSUITS SA SURFING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Thanks to the huge efforts of Eastern Province heroes, 2008 SA Men's champion Shaun Payne, runner up Simon Fish, SA Under 20 Boys Champion Nick Godfrey and Under 20 Girls Division bronze medal winner Faye Zoetmulder, Eastern Province won the coveted Presidents Cup at the 43rd edition of the South African Championships.

Completed in great 2 metre surf at this consistent Southern Cape point break, the 2008 Reef Wetsuits SA Championships featured 200 or so of the country's best surfers who were surfing for the seven Provinces that make up Surfing South Africa.

Despite the fact that there was no prize money up for grabs many of South Africa's best pulled on their provincial colours and made their way to Vic Bay to win a medal and help their respective team to glory.

After four tough days of competition the boys and girls of Eastern Province won the Presidents Cup for the first time in the 43 year history of South Africa's longest running contest.

Shaun Payne (EP) won the Men's title, former WCT surfer and current ISA World Masters Women's Champ Heather Clark (Southern Kwazulunatal) added a third South African title to her long list of accolades while Nick Godfrey (EP) won the Under 20 Boys crown and brilliant 14 year old Bianca Buitendag (Southern Cape) won the Under 20 girls final.

She was named Junior Surfer of the Contest and her team mate and coach, Llewellyn Whittaker was named Surfer of the Contest.

Eastern Province beat Border, Western Province, Southern KZN, KZN, Boland and Southern Cape.
 
10th ANNIVERSARY OF THE RED BULL BIG WAVE AFRICA
Grant "Twiggy" Baker of Durban won the Red Bull BWA event in 20 foot surf at Dungeons in Hout Bay on a day of big wave paddle surfing that was described by commentators as "the best they had ever witnessed".

Injuries to some of the World's best big wave surfers, narrow escapes, serious wipeouts and some brilliant displays of the art of big wave riding made this event one that will go down in history.

Although recognized as South Africa's best big wave exponent, this was Twiggy's first Red Bull BWA victory.

SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL SELECTION TRIAL
The four Men who will represent South Africa at the 2008 ISA World Surfing Games in Portugal in October were selected after two days of grueling selection trials held in marginal conditions at Big Bay in Cape Town.

2008 SA Championships semi finalist Ryan Payne, 2007 SA champion Devyn Mattheys, WP Open champion Matthew Kruger and current Surfing South Africa Under 20 Pro Surf Tour ratings leader Klee Strachan made it into the team which includes 2006 ISA World Longboard Champion Matthew Moir and bodyboarders Sacha Specker, Mark Mc Carthy and Pamela Bowren.

The Women team members will be selected on August 25
 
JUNIOR CONTESTS

BILLABONG JUNIOR SERIES # 4
Nicky Godfrey of Cape St Francis added the U20 Billabong Junior Series # 4 crown to the Under 20 South African title he won at exactly the same venue, Victoria Bay, just a week earlier. Newly selected 2008 SA Team member, Klee Strachan of Winklespruit was second.

Beyrick de Vries of Umhlanga won the U16 final ahead Mikey February of Kommetjie Slade Prestich of St Mikes took honors in the Under 14 division.
Due to difficult 2-3 metre surf organizers did not run the Under 12 Final.

QUIKSILVER KING OF THE GROMS # 3
The final event in the 2008 Quiksilver King of the Groms series, held in contestable 1 metre surf at Scottburgh on the KZN South Coast, saw the cream of South African junior surfing fighting it out for event as well as series honors.

Dane Staples of Cape St Francis beat Jacob Mellish of Somerset West in the premiere U16 Final but victory was not enough for Staples to earn the Series victory and a trip to the International King of the Groms in France. That honor went to Mikey February of Kommetjie, who despite going out in the quarters of the Scottburgh contest, had done enough in the first two King of the Groms events to earn enough points to be crowned as the Series champion.

Casey Grant of Scottburgh beat Klee Strachan in the Under 20 final but SA Under 20 Champion Nicky Godfrey won the Series and claimed an all expenses paid trip to Hawaii for his efforts.

LIZZARD TAG SERIES # 2
Over 36 girls and boys competed in the second Lizzard Tag Series contest in Port Elizabeth in early August. This series of four Tag events involves boys and girls from as young as 7 years old to 16 and the ISA Aloha Cup format is used to decide the champions.

Each team chooses their own name and with R5000 in cash allocated to the top three teams, competition is fierce.

In this event, the "Men in Black" took honours.
 
UP AND COMING
* The 2008 O'Neill Cold Water Classic : Cape Peninsula. 3A Men, Pro Junior and 1A Women's PST event : August 21-24.
* The 2008 Majestic SA Open of Surfing : Nahoon Reef East London. 2A Men and 2A Women PST event : September 5 & 6.
* The second Rip Curl Gromsearch is scheduled for Mossel Bay on September 5 & 6.
* Other events include the third Lizzard Tag Series contest scheduled for St Mikes, the final Billabong Junior Series event which takes place at J Bay.
* The South African Bodyboarding Championships takes place in Richards Bay.
 
GENERAL
* At the 2008 SSA AGM Cecil Solomon was re elected President, Mark Hoffman and Pax Nydoo were unanimously elected as Vice President and Deputy President respectively. Ant Brodowicz, Emile Zoetmulder and Minette Joubert are the new Board members.

Lond serving Vice President Niezaam Jappie, Deputy President Craig Sims, Howard Gold and Tasha Mentasti are the outgoing Board members  

About International Surfing Association
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for surfing, bodyboarding and surfriding. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980. 

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 50 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since.  The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Maile Aguerre (Hawaii) and Mike Gerard (USA).

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