Big EP presence in SA Junior team

All the EP peeps in the SA Junior team. Manager Johnny Bakker, Matt McGillivray, Gina Smith (vice-captain), Dylan Lightfoot (captain) and Graham Hynes (coach)

ISA World Junior Surfing Championships
Jiquiliste Beach, Tola, Nicaragua
June 8 – 16, 2013 

Jeffrey’s Bay surfers Dylan Lightfoot and Gina Smith to lead the South African Junior Team in Nicaragua 

Jeffrey’s Bay surfers Dylan Lightfoot and Gina Smith have been named as captain and vice captain respectively of the 2013 South African Junior Surfing Team that will compete in the ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in Nicaragua from June 8 -16.

The announcements were made at the SA junior Team Colours Awards presentation held in Durban on Saturday evening.

Lightfoot is the most experienced surfer in the team and will represent South Africa for the fourth time in Nicaragua. The talented Jeffrey’s Bay local has been winning national tournaments for in every part of the country for the last five years and in 2011 won a silver medal in the Under 16 Division of the World Junior Championships in Peru. He will be competing in the Under 18 Division this year and will be aiming to return home with gold.

Gina Smith earned her right to represent South Africa at the World Championships when she won the South African Junior Championships in 2012. She emulates her older sister Emma who represented South Africa at the event in 2011 and 2012.

Joining Lightfoot and Smith as the third Jeffrey’s Bay representative in the Team is Matthew McGillivray who earns his second cap in the Under 16 Division. Like Smith, McGillivray won a national title at the 2012 SA Junior Championships but was required to surf through regional and national selection trials to qualify for the team.

The Eastern Cape has not only provided three of the members of the team but will also include Cape St Francis based South African surfing legend Graham Hynes, who is Head Coach and Team Manager, Surfing South Africa Vice President Johnny Bakker of Port Elizabeth.

In addition to the three surfers, the Head Coach and the Team Manager the Eastern Cape will contribute to the administration of the World Championships as East London based surfing official Cyril Nel has been invited to Nicaragua to act as Head Judge for the event.

All the members of the South African Team have had to raise significant funds to make the journey to Nicaragua and with the team’s departure scheduled for June 1st the Eastern Cape surfers are planning a final fundraising effort this weekend  to boost their efforts.

Dylan Lightfoot and Gina Smith will be holding a function at Chingadas restaurant in Port Elizabeth on Friday night ( May 24th ) where an auction of signed memorabilia from the Billabong Pro in J Bay will take place.

Hampers from leading surfing brands such as Billabong, Von Zipper, Dakine, Kustom,Fox and Nixon will also be auctioned and there tickets will be sold for a lucky draw which offers a bunch of great prizes.

Matt McGillivray has a Hurley hamper to raffle and details of how to buy a ticket are available on his facebook page.

The 2013 South African junior surfing team has been provided with kit by Billabong.

Surfing South Africa (SSA) is the recognized governing body for the sport in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) andthe International Surfing Association (ISA)