​Surfing SA Press Release

The SWOT Surf Club A team has won the 2017 Billabong SA Interclub Surfing Championships beating 2016 runners up CYOH Surf Club by a mere 4,4 points in tough conditions at the Seal Point beach break in Cape St Francis yesterday. (Sunday February 12th).

The Muizenberg based Club, whose full name is “Surfers With Original Talent”, travelled to the national Interclub Championships with an A and B side determined to improve on their semi final result last year. Determination, team spirit, good organization and hands on coaching paid off and the SWOT Club returns home knowing that the 2018 National Interclub Championships will be hosted at a venue of their choice. Led by Danielle Johnson, the winning team included her brother Craig, Brandon Benjamin, Papi Makanyane and Dillon Fernandez and was coached by Mark Powiss. The SWOT B Team also did well to finish 10th overall.

This was the third year in a row that Port Elizabeth based CYOH Surf Club has finished as runners. They pushed 2016 champions and hosts Seal Point Surf Club into third place while the JBay Boardriders Surf Club of Jeffreys Bay, came fourth.

Durban based Sisonke Surf Club A team put together a massive performance to reach the semi finals and had to settle for joint fifth place with newcomers Tripout Surf Club of Buffels Bay but Sisonke improved on their seventh place result in 2016.

A record twenty four teams representing twenty surf clubs from as far afield as Johannesburg participated in this annual club get together which has grown in numbers over the last six years.

The event was hosted for the second year in a row by two time champions, Seal Point Boardriders,.
The South African Interclub Championships is a Surfing South Africa event made possible support from Billabong and Sport and Recreation South Africa.

Surfing South Africa (SSA) is a member of the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA). SSA is the governing body for all surf riding in South Africa and is recognized as such by Sport and Recreation South Africa.

FULL RESULTS
1. SWOT SURF CLUB A TEAM 139,1pts
2. CYOH SURF CLUB 134,7pts
3. JBAY BOARDRIDERS CLUB 127,0pts
4. SEAL POINT BOARDRIDERS A TEAM 120,9pts
5. SISONKE SURF CLUB A TEAM
5. TRIPOUT SURF CLUB
7. KOWIE BOARDRIDERS
7. JBU SURF CLUB
7. VIC BAY SURF CLUB
10. EDEN UPRISING CLUB
10. SWOT SURF CLUB B TEAM
10. BLUFF SURF CLUB
13. JEFFREYS BAY SURF CLUB
13. MATIES
13. SEAL POINT BOARDRIDERS B TEAM
13. SISONKE SURF CLUB B TEAM
13. JAMMIN SURF CLUB
13. MADIBAZ SURF CLUB
19. JOHANNESBURG SURF CLUB
19. SUBMERSIBLES SURF CLUB
19. 9 MILES SURF CLUB A TEAM
19. 9 MILES SURF CLUB B TEAM
19. GRAVITAS SURF CLUB
19. GROMBLITZ SURF CLUB

​Defending Champions Seal Point Boardriders host the Billabong South African Interclub Championships for the second time this weekend.
 
A record twenty five teams representing twenty one surf clubs from all parts of South Africa will be in action at Seal Point in Cape St Francis this weekend in the sixth annual Billabong SA Interclub Championships.
 
Eighteen heats and 14 hours of competition will make this the biggest Interclub Surfing Championships ever held as representatives of surf clubs from the Western Cape, Southern Cape, Eastern Cape, KZN and Gauteng compete for the National Interclub Trophy.
 
The Billabong SA Interclub Championships an important Surfing South Africa tournament which is supported by the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa and hosted for the second time by the Seal Point Boardriders Surf Club who won the tournament at at Seal Point last February.
 
In winning the 2016 Interclub Championships the Seal Point Boardriders earned the right to not only chose their “stadium” for this year contest but were also entitled to enter two teams into the two day clash.
 
This year the Eastern Cape is well represented by a total of nine surf clubs while the Southern Cape has six clubs in the mix. Three clubs from the Western Cape,two from KZN and one club from Gauteng will make the journey to Cape St Francis.
 
The 2017 Billabong SA Interclub Championships presented by Sport and Recreation SA will use the Aloha Cup “tag” format which sees teams of four men and one woman competing against each other in 45 minute heats. In this team styled surfing contest all the points scored by each of the surfers count towards the final team score.
 
As usual competition will be fierce in the water but the annual Interclub Championships is an extremely social affair once the heats are over. While there is no Opening function this year there clubs will be able to relax at the St Francis Brewing Company on Saturday evening where they will be able to enjoy live music from the likes of top Jeffreys Bay based longboarder and well known musician Steve “Steezy” Sawyer.
 
Grant Beck, the Billabong Team & Events Manager is stoked that so many clubs are competing this year. “ We are really looking forward to this year’s Billabong Interclub Championships and we are really happy that so many clubs have entered. This event is pretty special as it gives surfers from clubs from all parts of South Africa the opportunity to get together with fellow competitors, friends and family. It is great to partner with Surfing South Africa and the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa and we look forward to staying involved in club surfing well into the future”.
 
Teams must meet at the Seal Point Car Park at 7.30am on Saturday for the official briefing. The heats will start at 8.00am on Saturday and end at approximately 2.30pm on Sunday.
 
The heats and format are posted on the Surfing South Africa website www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za .
 
Surfing South Africa is a member of the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA). SSA is the recognized governing body for all surf riding in South Africa and is recognized as such by the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa.

The groms had their 2nd NMBS trial at Pipe on the weekend. Kiff waves for the lighties to show their stuff. Well done to all those who surfed, and to the organisers and judges for making it happen.

​All images Petronel Posthumus