Huge field of top surfers enter 2007 O'Neill Cold Water Classic which takes place in the Cape Peninsula next week
Source: Surfing South Africa www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za
What: 3A Men's and 2A Women's Pro Surf Tour event
Where: Cape Peninsula, South Africa
When: 4 day window : Thursday August 23 - Sunday August 26
Sanctioned by Surfing South Africa
Huge field of top surfers enter 2007 O'Neill Cold Water Classic which takes place in the Cape Peninsula next week
The opportunity to compete in the best and most challenging surf that the Cape Peninsula has to offer and the chance to win some of the R25000 on offer has attracted the maximum field of 62 Men and 16 Women into this year's O'Neill Cold Water Classic which will take place between Thursday August 23 and Sunday August 26.
The Cold Water Classic is a 3A Men's and 2A Women's event on the Surfing South Africa Pro Surf Tour and surfers accumulate points towards the annual PST ratings.
With only two days needed to complete the tournament organisers will be able to use the four day window period to hold heats at some of the Cape Peninsula's most challenging surf spots such as 365, Crayfish Factory, Outer Kom, the Hoek, the Dunes and even Kalk Bay Reef.
Unlike most other PST events, which are held at fixed venues over a set period, the O'Neill Cold Water Classic will be mobile and will take place at venues that will showcase some of the amazing "hard core" waves in and around the Peninsula.
This is the fifth edition of the Cold Water Classic and the popularity of the tournament is underlined by the fact that all but one of the previous champions will be competing.
The inaugural Men's champion was Brandon Roberts of Sun Valley, who became the youngest surfer to win a PST event when he took the title at Misty Cliffs in 2003 while the Women's champion that year was Tasha Mentasti of Durban North.
In 2004 Quintin Jones of Cape Town made history when he won both the Men's and Master's titles at Big Bay in Blouberg and in 2005 Ryan Payne of Jeffrey's Bay and Andrew Preen of Hout Bay conquered Outer Kom to win the Men's and Master's titles respectively.
Last year Josh Redman of Durban took honours in the Men's division at Big Bay while Quintin Jones added another O'Neill Cold Water Classic notch to his belt when he took the Masters crown.
The only one of these who is not in the field this year is Redman as he is competing in Europe.
This event will take place in good sizeable waves so it has attracted entries from a number of Cape Town's big wave exponents such as internationally recognised Mickey Duffus and Ian Armstrong,Thomas King Kleynhans as well as Conn and Greg Bertish.
O'Neill SA Open winner and current South African champion Devyn Mattheys and fellow East London surfer Simon Fish will be bringing their Nahoon Reef skills to the Cape while Dylan Stone of Port Elizabeth, former WP Open winner Matthew Kruger of Durban, Gary van Wieringen of Scottburgh, Frankie Oberholzer of Warner Beach, Andrew Lange of Umtentweni, Rory Beach of Durban, Brandon Jackson of Durban North and locals Wesley Grey and Brett Shearer all add value to the classy Men's field.
The lure of surfing a PST contest in big powerful waves has also attracted entries from some of the Cape's top young surfers, namely Matthew Bromley,Mikey February, David and Benji Brand and Jarred Veldhuis, who are all based in Kommetjie.
Twenty one O'Neill team riders will surf in the tournament and the sponsors have named David Smith of Camps Bay, talented Scottburgh local Casey Grant and Sarah Nicholson of Kommetjie as the event wildcards.
Former WCT surfer Heather Clark of Port Shepstone heads a strong Women's field which includes current SA Champion Sarah Maritz of Amanzimtoti, Stacey Guy of Melkbosstrand, Tammy and Penny Robarts of Somerset West, Under 20 Pro Surf Tour ratings leader Tarryn Chudleigh of Kommetjie, Sa Junior team members Chantelle Rautenbach of Melkbosstrand and Tanika Hoffman of Kommetjie and Tara Hossack of Jeffrey's Bay.
Chris Bertish, the Brand and Marketing Manager for O'Neill and a driving force behind this year's Cold Water Classic commented "we are proud to be associated with such a core and unique contest for the fifth year in a row. It is an exciting event that is specifically geared towards showcasing Cape Town's challenging conditions and serious surf. We are really pleased that so many surfers have entered this year and O'Neill is committed to upgrading the Cold Water Classic over the next couple of years.
The complete entry list is on the www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za website and venue details of the Cold water Classic as well as heat results will be listed on this website daily.
To find out the status of the contest between Thursday August 23 and Sunday August 26 contact the WP Surfing info line on 0822334001 after 8am each day.
An opening function where the contest structure will be outlined to the participants will take place at 783 restaurant at 7pm on Wednesday August 22.
Netcare 911 will provide the emergency services for the 2007 O'Neill Cold Water Classic.
Compiled by
Robin de Kock
General Manager
Surfing South Africa
surfingsouthafrica@gmail.com
0824541149
on behalf of
Chris Bertish
O'Neill South Africa
0795248344
chrisb@fifthelement.co.za
www.oneillsa.com
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