Cape Town Surfriders win Mandela Bay Trophy at the 2016 Billabong SA Grommet Games

Cape Town Surfriders make it five in a row as they win the Mandela Bay Trophy at the 2016 Billabong Grommet Games in Port Elizabeth
 
Sunday March 27th - Cape Town Surfriders Grommet Team made it five wins in a row when they took overall honours at the 2016 Billabong SA Grommet Games which was completed in 2 foot surf and offshore conditions at the Pipe, Pollock Beach in Port Elizabeth today.
 
The team in blue and white beat the hosts, Nelson Mandela Bay to win the coveted Mandela Bay Trophy which goes to the team that posts the highest points after the four days of competition both in and out of the water.
 
An ecstatic Cape Winelands team not only produced their best performance in the history of the 24 year event to take a deserved third place overall but their energy, enthusiasm and support for each other throughout the event also earned them the coveted Team Spirit Award.
 
eThekweni, who were last year’s runners up in the overall standings had to settle for fourth this year while their neighbours, UGU came fifth overall and will be proud of the performance of their motivated team. Sixth placed Buffalo City and seventh placed Eden both produced a number of individual successes but did not have the depth in numbers to feature higher up in the overall results.
 
In an exciting Tag Team Final Cape Town successfully defended their 2015 title, beating Nelson Mandela Bay into second place in the final. Buffalo City were third and Ugu took fourth place.
Despite finishing second in both the overall team competition and the Tag Team Final, Nelson Mandela Bay won the Surfing Award which goes to the team that scores the most points across the eight surfing divisions.
 
The Cape Town Surfriders Grommet Team’s dominance at this unique 24 year old event is a credit to the commitment shown by Team Management Barbara Johnson and Robert Scott and the preparation of the team by Head Coach, Craig Johnson and his assistant, Papi Makanyane.
 
Close to 100 girls and boys from seven districts took part in the annual event which is Surfing South Africa's premier entry level inter-provincial tournament. Sponsorship from Billabong, funding from Sport and Recreation South Africa, support from Lotto and friendly hosting by Nelson Mandela Bay Surfriders ensured that the 24th edition of the SA Grommet Games was a success once again.
 
The Grommet Games were coordinated with great skill once again by Event Director Shirley Fairall and her team while Contest Director Brian Abrahams, Head Judge Merrick Fairall and his officials did a great job over the four days of competition.
 
Surfing South Africa Vice President Johnny Bakker represented Surfing South Africa at the event while Grant Beck and Billabong Team ensured that the SA Grommet Games was a standout on the annual Surfing South Africa calendar. 
 
In the individual surfing categories, the youngest winners were Gabriella Herbst of eThekweni and David Emslie of Buffalo City, who won the Under 9 Girls and Boys Divisions respectively. The Under 11 Girls and Boys Champions were Zia Hendricks of Nelson Mandela Bay and C-Jay Posthumus of Nelson Mandela Bay.
 
Joining Buffalo City team mate and U9 Champion David Emslie as division winners were Zoe Steyn and Daniel Emslie who took gold in the Under 13 Girls and Under 13 Boys Finals respectively. Daniel Emslie was also named as Surfer of the Contest.
 
The Under 15 Girls gold medal went the way of Kaisea Button of Cape Town and Daniel Orpen of Nelson Mandela Bay won the Under 15 Boys Final.
 
Chelsea Clotz of Nelson Mandela Bay was awarded the Sportsmanship Trophy and KZN based Sisonke Ndumndum was presented with the Judge of the Contest Award. Paddle battle honours went the way of Kaisea Button and her brother Sam of Cape Town Surfriders,Kitty Ribbink of eThekweni and Prince Hlonga of Ugu won the girls and boys junior Flags titles while the girls and boys senior Flags gold medals went to Shana Zunckel of Nelson Mandela Bay and Simakele Rooi of Cape Town Surfriders.
 
The full results and a gallery of photos are posted on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za
 
The SA Grommet Games is a national tournament with a primary focus on transformation and development within the sport. Strict criteria must be followed when selecting teams for the four days of competition. While the main focus of the event is on surfing, participation in events such as a Paddle Battle, Beach Flags and a Tag Team contest are an integral part of the Grommet Games activities.
 
RESULTS : 2016 BILLABONG SA GROMMET GAMES
 
SURFING
 
U9 Girls    
1st                Gabriella Herbst                ETK                            
2nd               Anastasia Venter               CW                      
3rd                Emma Wise                      CTS                           
4th                Alyx Currin                        BC
5th                Issataya Bredell                 NMB
 
U9 Boys      
1st                David Emslie                     BC                                                                      
2nd               Josh Malherbe                   BC                                                        
3rd                Matthew Canning              ETK
4th                Bryce Hoppe                     ETK                            
                                               
                                               
U11 Girls      
1st                Zia Hendricks                    NMB                                                         
2nd               Kitty Ribbink                      ETK                                    
3rd                Emma Bedser                   BC                         
4th                Saffiya Moodlier                 CW                                                             
                                               
U11 Boys     
1st                C-Jay Posthumous            NMB                                                    
2nd               Joel Fowles                       BC                                                       
3rd                Ethan Currin                      BC                        
4th                River Gericke                            
                                               
U13 Girls      
1st                Zoe Steyn                         BC                                               
2nd               Ceara Knight                     CTS                        
3rd                Che Du Plessis                  CW                                                           
4th                Sune Chadwick                  CW                                                   
                                               
U13 Boys     
1st                Daniel Emslie                    BC                                                            
2nd               Nicholas Lombard              CW                                                         
3rd                Matthew O Brien               BC                                                              
4th                Brad Scott                         CTS                                     
                                               
U15 Girls      
1st                Kaisea Button                    CTS
2nd               Casey Mussel                    CTS                                            
3rd                Danella Finlayson              CW                                                       
4th                Rentia Tromp                    CW                             
                                               
U15 Boys     
1st                Daniel Orpen                     NMB
2nd               Ashwin Petersen                CW
3rd                Simakele Rooi                   CTS
4th                Sam Button                       CTS
 
2016 GROMMET GAMES ACADEMY SQUAD ( individuals recognized for their surfing performances at the Grommet Games)
BOYS
Daniel Orpen (NMB),Sam Button (CTS),Simakele Rooi (CTS),Ashwin Petersen (CW),Spe Shangase (ETK),Jayden Toby (NMB),Ntando Nqadala (CTS),Nicholas Lombard (CW),Daniel Emslie (BC),
Brad Scott (CTS),Matt O’ Brien (BC), Ernie Prinsloo (NMB), Jordan Boshoff (UGU),C-Jay Posthumous (NMB)
GIRLS
Casey Mussel (CTS),Kaisea Button (CTS),Danella Finlayson (CW),Rentia Tromp (CW),Tobuku Ndlovu (NMB),Maya Attfield (UGU),Ceara Knight (CW),Che Du Plessis (CW),Zoe Steyn (BC),
Sune Chadwick (CW),Zia Hendricks (NMB)
                                               
TEAM RESULTS : MANDELA BAY TROPHY FOR THE OVERALL EVENT CHAMPIONS 
             
1st                Cape Town                      35307
2nd                Nelson Mandela Bay          29935
3rd                Cape Winelands                26992                                              
4th                eThekweni                        22144                                           
5th                Ugu                                  19529
6th                Buffalo City                       19480
7th                Eden                                19250
 
TAG TEAM
1st                Cape Town               
2nd                Nelson Mandela Bay
3rd                Buffalo City
4th                Ugu                     
 
SURFING TROPHY
Nelson Mandela Bay
                                                                         
TEAM SPIRIT AWARD  
Cape Winelands
 
SURFER OF THE CONTEST
Daniel Emslie (Buffalo City)
 
 
JUDGING RECOGNITION AWARD
Sisonke Ndumndum
                                                                        
 
BEACH FLAGS
U9 & U11 Girls
1st      Kitty Ribbink                      ETK
2nd     Zia Hendricks                     NMB
3rd      Zoey Thompson                UGU
4th      Emma Bedser                   BC
 
U13 & U15 Girls                  
1st      Shana Zunckel                  NMB
2nd      Kaisea Button                   CTS
3rd      Casey Mussel                   CTS
4th      Faieka Cupido                   CTS
 
U9 & U11 Boys
1st      Prince Hlonga                    UGU
2nd      Jaydin Van Louw               CTS
3rd      Bryce Hoppe                     ETK
4th      CJ Posthumous                 NMB
 
U13 & U15 Boys                             
1st      Simakele Rooi                   CTS
2nd      Isaac Van Zyl                    CW
3rd      Sam Button                       CTS
4th      Nicholas Lombard              CW
 
PADDLE BATTLE
Girls  
1st      Kaisea Button                    CTS
2nd      Zoe Steyn                         BC
3rd      Ceara Knight                     CTS
4th      Danella Finlayson              CW
 
Boys             
1st      Sam Button                       CTS
2nd      Nicholas Lombard             CW
3rd      Ashwin Petersen               CW
4th      Timothy Shelver                NMB
 
 
The 2016 South African Grommet Games was presented and run by Surfing South Africa and hosted by Nelson Mandela Bay Surfriders. Surfing South Africa (SSA) is the recognised governing body for the sport of surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA).

​All images Petronel Posthumus
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