South African team is the top seed in the upcoming ISA China Cup & Hainan Classic in Riyue Bay, China 

The Surfing South Africa Board of Directors has confirmed that the members of the South African Team which won the 2013 ISA World Surfing Games in Panama and recently competed in the 50th ISA World Games in Peru will travel to Hainan Province in China next week to represent South Africa in the ISA China Cup.

The four Men in the side  are team captain Mikey February, fellow WP surfer Davey Brand, Casey Brand of Southern KZN and new cap Dylan Lightfoot of Eastern Province, who replaces David Van Zyl. Van Zyl withdrew from the team due to other commitments. The Women who will travel to China as members of the South African Team are Tanika Hoffman of Western Province, who recently finished 8th in the World Games in Peru and Faye Zoetmulder of Eastern Province. The Coach is Etienne Venter.

The ISA China Cup will run on November 24th and 25th and is an invitation-only contest featuring the top seven surfing nations in the world based on the National Team results from the 2013 ISA World Surfing Games in Panama.

These countries are South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Panama and Costa Rica and China who will be competing as a full team an ISA event for the first time.

The ISA China Cup will be followed by a second surfing competition, the Hainan Classic, an ASP Men’s 4-Star event that runs from November 25th to 28th.

ISA President Fernando Aguerre is delighted that a Chinese Team will be competing in an ISA event for the first time and is excited about the fact that China will host its third ISA China Cup next week “ For an entire week , China will become the Surfing capital of the World . The 2012 and 2013 editions were hugely successful and working alongside our partners Womei Media and ASP will ensure that this year’s event will be just as good. The sporting competition is always first class and the huge media audience in the past two years is a testament to the global reach of surfing” Aguerre added “We are delighted to confirm that a Chinese Team will compete in the ISA China Cup for the first time ever. China has a coastline of 9,000 miles, a lot of unexplored surfing breaks and there is strong support from the highest levels of Government for surfing so the time is right for the ISA to help China become a surfing powerhouse in the years to come.”

The South African team will leave for China on Tuesday November 19th  and return on Saturday November 29th .

Faye Zoetmulder of Seal Point won the Open Division title in the Billabong Women’s Summersurf Challenge which was completed in 2- 3 foot surf at Long Beach in Kommetjie today. Zoetmulder spent most of the heat in second place behind Tanika Hoffman of Hout Bay but edged ahead in the dying minutes to take the victory, the bulk of the 2A Pro Surf Tour points on offer and a cheque for R4000.Tarryn Chudleigh of Kommetjie was third and Nikita Kekana of Kalk Bay took fourth place in the Final. 

Zoetmulder and Hoffmann will leave for China on Wednesday as part of the South African team that will compete in the ISA China Cup in Riyue Bay, Hainan Province

Honours in the U20 Division went the way of Anoush Zakarian of Melkbosstrand with the talented Jade Mets of Ballito taking second place ahead of Crystal Hulett of St Francis. Up and coming local star, Pippa Jones of Marina Da Gama claimed fourth place

Sophie Bell of Umdloti will count her long trip from KZN to the Western Cape a success as she won both the U16 and U14 titles at the event. The SA Under 15 Champion beat fellow Umdloti surfer Cana Foster into second place in the U16 Division with Pippa Jones taking third and Michelle Verreynne of Victoria Bay ending in fourth spot. In the U14 final Bell overcame an interference penalty to take the win ahead of her good friend Olivia Izzard of La Lucia. Sarah Ingram of Constantia was third and Nina Harmse of Herolds Bay was fourth. 

The Final of the U16 Girls Division of the postponed Surf 4 Life contest was also held during this event and the winner of the all Southern Cape affair was Nina Harmse of Herolds Bay. Michelle Verreynne of Victoria Bay came second, Taghiti Gericke of Wilderness was third and Kayla Verreynne of Victoria Bay was fourth.
 
The Billabong Women’s Summersurf Challenge is the only stand alone women’s event held in South Africa and is run for women by women. It attracted an entry of 41 surfers from all along the South African coast and despite having to cope with tough Long Beach surf and bad mannered non contestants on Day One of the competition all of the participants acquitted themselves with dignity and style. 
The same could not be said for the disrespectful surfers who spent the better part of Saturday intimidating the contestants in their heats. This selfish behaviour left a sour taste in the mouth of the majority of the people at the event and embarrassed Surfing South Africa. 
It was a slap in the face of the sponsors and the organisers and was a disgraceful display of bad behaviour by a disrespectful minority.
Heart warming support from local longboarders and surfers on the final day of competition saw the Women’s event concluded in smaller but less hostile conditions. 

The Billabong Women’s Summersurf Challenge was presented by Surfing South Africa and supported by a grant from Sport and Recreation South Africa. The application for the event to take place at Long Beach was granted by the City of Cape Town. 

Results of the finals and photos are available on  www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Ching, chong, Chinaman instead of ching, chong, cha for three lucky EP surfers who have been selected in the 4 person team to represent SA at the ASP GoPro World Longboard Champs in China  this December.

Shot to Grant Beck. Hannah Bing and Margreet Wibbelink for flying the EP flag high. Matthew Moir from WP is the other team member.

The event will run from December 5-12 at the lefthand pointbreak Riyue Bay off Hainan Island, China. China? Yip, China. Kind of a weird place to have a world champs, but the ASP are all about growing the sport (and viewership figures) so are keen to inspire the nation of over 1 billion peeps to surf. Ah, maybe not such a good idea! 

Looks like a pretty fun wave for the goofy's though, so good luck to our team!

China's better known for it's river surfing wave than it's coastal surf. The Qiantang River in Hangzhou has a famous river bore wave known as the Silver Dragon.

Each autumn, a massive tidal bore -- a wave that travels against the current -- surges up the river. At nine-meters high and traveling at 40 kilometers per hour, the Silver Dragon is the largest tidal bore in the world and so powerful that only a small number of hefty commercial boats are allowed on the river at the same time.

Surfers take it on with jetski's and it's worth a google to check out some of the footage. Decent sized waves for sure.

1. Billabong Open and Masters EP Close

This event will be held either on the 22 or 23rd November. We will confirm on the Friday night as Andre wants the best waves for the event. All surfers to meet at Pipe at 7.30 (roving venue) 
Entry fee is R50 and you must be an affiliated EP member to surf the EP Close event. If you have not affiliated you may pay your affiliation fee of R200 and you will then be affiliated for 2015. 
Divisions –  U20 Boys, U20 Girls, Open men, Ladies,  Masters 30+,  Grand Masters  40+,  Veterans 50+, Manne 60+

2. Billabong Groms and Junior EP Close

All Groms and Juniors who surfed their respective trials are encouraged to surf the Billabong EP Junior Closed event. This will take place on 29th November at Pipe. Meet Shireen and Annie at 7.30am
Entry fee is R50 and you must be an affiliated EP member to surf the EP Close. New surfers are welcome to join us but you must affiliate prior to surfing the event. (pay your affiliation fee of R200 and you will then be affiliated for 2015.)

Divisions – u10 boys and girls combined; U12 Boys, U12 Girls, U14 Boys, U14 Girls, U16 Boys, U16 Girls, U18 Boys, U18 Girls.

Could all trophy winners from 2013 please return their trophies by Sunday 16th November. Trophies can either be given to Etienne in J. Bay, myself at Victoria Park Grey Primary, 1st Ave, Walmer or dropped off with John at Surf Centre, Humewood. These need to be engraved so please do not delay in returning them.

3. AGM AND AWARD CEREMONY
The AGM and award ceremony will take place after the Junior EP Closed event – 29th November 2014. The time and venue is still to be confirmed.
Attached is the notification letter as well as the nomination lists for the 2015 EP Executive Committee. Please complete and return by Thursday 20th November.

4. Please take note that the Sunset Night Surf Challenge will be held on the 5th and 6th December – info to follow shortly.

The Grom Comp which was to be held on the 7th December has been cancelled.

Surfers of all ages will compete in shortboard, longboard and bodyboard heats when the 7th edition of the Sunset Surf Club Night Surfing Classic returns to the Pipe, Pollok Beach, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth.

When the sun sets on Pollok Beach on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th December 2014, a group of enthusiastic surfers will be suiting up and diving into the dark, moonlit waves. They will continue to battle it out through the waves during dusk and into the night under the glow of special flood lights on the beach, finishing at just after midnight on the Friday night and at
22h30 on Saturday night after which the awards ceremony will be held.

The Sunset Surf Club Night Surfing Classic organiser Addie Jappie and Lesley Doming of Algoa FM are expecting a bigger turn out of surfers and spectators this year. Bodyboard heats will be included for the first time.

“The Pipe is a great location for this competition as it forms an amphitheatre when the sun goes down and the lights are switched on. In so many ways it’s become a classic contest, and although the club failed to secure its regular sponsorship from Surfing South Africa and Sport and Recreation South Africa this year, we are confident the event will take place.” Jappie says.

Sunset Surf Club welcomes surfers of all skill levels pro, amateur and novice in all age groups (groms, juniors, ladies and legends) to enter the contest, the only one of its kind in
the country run by a surf club.

“The idea is to bring the whole family to the beach at night, it is also one of the only contests in which a grandparent and grandchild can surf in the same contest. The young ones have a chance to rub shoulders with the most accomplished surfers. There’s a competitive edge to the contest but it’s also a community event.” Jappie says.

The timing of the Sunset Surf Club Night Surfing Classic coincides with the annual Nelson Mandela Bay Summer Season.

Thus far the club received valuable support from Algoa FM once again for media and advertising sponsorship, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality for the temporary floodlights and product sponsorships from Quiksilver, Roxy, RVCA, Surf Centre, Soul Good, La Zila Projects and EPSC.

This year’s contest promises to be a spectacular sight, with improved lighting, a whole host of beach activities for all ages, including live music by Port Elizabeth band “The Brothers” and Brazilian band, “Napalma”, dance exhibitions by local dance groups, a beachwear fashion show with clothing provided by Surf Centre and a skate off competition.

For the safety of the competitors, lifesavers from Hobie Beach Lifesaving Club will patrol the waters throughout the contest on watercraft and shark prods will be secured to bouys behind the breaking waves as a safety precaution.

The age groups are: Under 10 and 12 Boys and Girls; Under 14 and 16 Boys and Girls; Under 18 Girls: Under 20 Boys; Open Ladies and Men; Seniors; Masters; Veterans, Long Board and Boogie board including a  Paddle Battle for Under 12 to Under 16 boys and girls.

This year the club is looking forward to participation of three out of town clubs, surf school run by international surf judge, Cyril Mqadi who recruits street children, in Durban, Jeffrey’s Bay surfers from Pelsrus community managed by Ettiene Venter and Nine Miles Project run by Nigel Savel from Cape Town. For many of the participants, this is the only event in the country giving them an opportunity to surf at night under floodlights.

The “Learn to Surf” session for beginners will be held on Saturday 6th December from 11h00 – 13h00 there will be instructors and coaches available providing free surf lessons to youngsters interested in trying the sport, with top surfers offering words of advice and vital tips. Surfboards and wetsuits will be provided to all by Sunset Surf Club.

There are still various sponsorship opportunities for individuals and businesses available. 

For further information and to enter please contact Addie Jappie on 082 042 6820 or email to [email protected]
Can also enter on the beach from 15h30 on Friday 5th, the first comp day.

MORE ABOUT SUNSET SURF CLUB

Sunset Surf Club was formed on the 16th February 1988 in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth to introduce the sport to the disadvantaged communities primarily at the Pipe, Pollok Beach where regular surfing clinics are held and which the club has been doing for more than 2 decades. Sunset Surf Club is affiliated to the Eastern Province Surfing Council and Surfing South
Africa.

The purpose was primarily to engage the youth in extra-mural activities in order to combat crime, drugs and violence. Initially the founding members went to numerous schools in the northern areas at the time to promote surfing by conducting surfing videos sessions to the school children and encouraging them to participate in the club’s surfing development programme.

The primary focus of Sunset Surf Club, is on surfing development and to increase our club’s membership and to enhance spectator inspiration and involvement to the lifestyle associated to surfing.

The club has been in existence for 26 years and invested significant time, money and effort in fostering and developing surfing in the previously disadvantaged areas of Port Elizabeth.

Making regular use of The Pipe, Pollok Beach surf venue and Denville Beach, Sunset Surf Club is definitely one of the country’s more laid back clubs. With the lack of a structured league to compete in, surf sessions are carried out ad hoc; in short, whenever the opportunity presents itself! Complete beginners as well as experienced surfers are well catered for, and there is always the possibility of trips around the country’s coastline, so the club is an excellent option for those looking to try something new in a less competitive environment. The whole point of the Sunset Surf Club is to get people up on boards and enjoying themselves!

To join our “Learn to Surf” programme come and meet us at Denville Beach (next to Mc Arthur’s Pool) on a Sunday morning from the first weekend of September to the last weekend in May the following year, send an email to [email protected] or join the Sunset Surf club Facebook group and we'll keep you up to date with what is going on at the club and how you can take part in it’s activities.

Sunset Surf Club cater for all skill levels, whether you’re an experienced surfer or have never donned a wetsuit before you can use the clubs surfboards and wetsuits to get you started, or to improve your technique.
 
Sunset Surf Club's proudest moment:

One of the best things that the club did was when it hosted the first and only night surfing competition in 2008 which is held every year in the first week of December. The attendance and the feedback is always positive, along with the waves during the event.

Several members represented Eastern Province Surfing and Surfing South Africa in national and international competition – and 3 members represented South Africa as team managers and 2 members represented South Africa as competitors.

To join the “Learn to Surf” programme or the club get in touch with
Addie Jappie Cell: 082 042 6820 or Foozie Jappie Cell : 079 505 7308
Email: [email protected]
Fax to email: 086 600 5968