Feb 15, 2010 | South African surfers, Surfing Events
A South African surfer managed a miraculous victory in a surf contest held in treacherous, wipe-out conditions in the U.S. over the weekend.
Chris Bertish, a 35-year old surfer from Cape Town, raked in $50 000 (about R3.85 million) when he came first in the invitational Mavericks Surf Contest at California’s Half Moon Bay on Sunday – the same event where massive rogue waves swept dozens of spectators from a sea-wall, causing serious injuries. According to the judges and the competitors, the 40- to 50-feet high waves were the biggest they have ever witnessed in a paddle-in surfing competition.
Chris, who is part of the O’Neill South Africa surfing team, became the rather unlikely champion – not merely because he emerged even after being hammered by several brutal wipe-outs, but also because he wore a borrowed wetsuit. In fact, he had even borrowed the money to pay the airfare to get to the States. Part of his winnings, he said, will be spent on paying back his brother and the friends he had loaned the money from. Fellow South African, Grant “Twiggy” Baker, was eliminated during the semi-finals.
American surfer Shane Desmond from Santa Cruz came second.
Nov 17, 2009 | South African surfers
A photographer and surfer who lost his leg following a hit-and-run accident earlier this year, was cheered on by family and friends as he went surfing on a regular surfboard again for the first time since his accident.
The Dispatch Online reports that Jean-Paul Veaudry went “knee-surfing” for a couple of days before he decided to go all-out again for the first time since recently being fitted with his prosthetic leg manufactured especially for a surfer designed by Roland Toogood, a medical orthotist/prosthetist. He came up with a special lightweight prosthesis with a foot that has energy storage and that is able to absorb shock.
“I’m a bit nervous because paddling on a surfboard is not quite the same as surfing. I missed surfing and I felt like a fish out of water… it is something that only surfers would understand,” he told the Dispatch.
On May 23 this year, the motorcycle Veaudry was riding was involved in a collision with a car which sped away from the scene. The driver of the car is still at large.
So how did Veaudry’s first time back on the board go with his new leg? “The whole experience was awesome, but I kept on dragging my leg in the water and I didn’t realise it,” he told the Dispatch after his session in the water. “It was also strange not being able to feel the board the same way I used to. The waves weren’t too exciting either, but I will come back.”
Oct 23, 2009 | Industry News
South African surfer Heather Clarke, who is the reigning International Surfing Association (ISA) world masters surfing champion, has been hospitalised after being injured in a car crash near her home in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal last night (October 22).
According to her mom, Dawn Clark, an alleged drunk driver hit Heather’s car so hard that it was smashed into two pieces.
“At this stage we are not sure the full extent of her injuries or how it will impact on her surfing career in the long term,” IOL.co.za quoted Dawn as saying. “[She] is currently undergoing numerous scans and X-rays [at] the Hibiscus Private Hospital, in Port Shepstone, to determine the degree of her injuries. She has already had 22 stitches to her head. She is conscious, in a lot of pain, but is trying to stay upbeat.”
The alleged drunk driver was arrested after the incident and spent the night in jail.
Global Surf News reports that Heather has no medical aid. They’re urging anyone who is able and wants to help her with the huge medical costs to contact Surfing Souh Africa at surfingsouthafrica@gmail.com
Heather has been surfing professionally for 12 years. She is the only South African surfer to have won the prestigious Triple Crown of Surfing in Hawaii.
Good luck, girl. We wish you a swift and complete recovery!
Oct 9, 2009 | Industry News
Global Surf News reports that Nixon South Africa has signed local surfer Sean Holmes to be a part of their surf team.
The Wilderness native has been hailed by the international premium watch and accessories brand as an ‘accomplished, all round surfer’ and they said that he’ll make an awesome asset to the team. Holmes’ accomplishments include a quarter final result at the recent 2009 Billabong Pro Jeffrey’s Bay, being a multiple SA & WQS event champion. In 2000, he was also the winner of the Red Bull Big Wave Africa event at Dungeons in Cape Town.
Well done, dude!
Jul 9, 2009 | Industry News, Surfing Books
Local legend and veteran surfer Shaun Tomson published a book three years ago. But for some reason – not even he can quite explain why – it did not make it to the shores of his homeland.
But now, three years after publication in the States, Shaun’s “Surfer’s Code Twelve Simple Lessons For Riding Through Life” has finally been released in South Africa. The book is based on the life lessons Shaun learned while surfing. “The book is about what the ocean can teach you and uses surfing as a metaphor for life. It is about riding the wave of life and uses my personal experiences to illustrate each lesson.”
He used to write those life lessons out on cards and hand them out to kids at the beach. Eventually, after collaborating with American surf writer and university lecturer Patrick Moser, the wisdoms saw the light in book form, and that’s how one of South Africa’s own surfing legends entered a new chapter in his life as ‘author’.
Sounds like a great beach read!
Apr 20, 2009 | Industry News
The awards-ceremony considered to be the Academy Awards of Surfing, the the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards, was held at a glittering event in California last week and a South African won two categories.
Durbanite Grant “Twiggy” Baker received the Billabong XXL Biggest Wave award for a riding a wave that was measured at 20 metres (61 foot) at Tafelberg Reef, near Hout Bay in Cape Town, in August last year. He also collected the Surfline Best Overall Performance award for his dedication in pursuing huge surf and competing in big wave events all over the world during the past 12 months.
He was also nominated for the Monster Paddle award and his tow partner, Greg Long from California, who had towed Baker into the wave at Tafelberg, won the premier Billabong XXL Ride of the Year award and a cash prize of US$50 000 (approximately R450 000) for his incredible tube ride on a 10 metre wave at nearby Dungeons during the Red Bull Big Wave Africa event in July 2008.
Baker received $15 000 (approximately R140 000), a Honda Aquatrax personal watercraft and an HSA sled for his XXL Biggest Wave. He also earned a further $5 000 for the Overall Performance award.
Cape Town-based photographers Alan van Gysen and Brenton Geach, and video company Fixerfilm/Hutchmotion, shared $4 000 for providing the images which determined the XXL Biggest Wave winner. Fixerfilm/Red Bull BWA scooped up the $5 000 for their video footage of Long’s Ride of the Year.
Mar 2, 2009 | Surfing Events, Surfing Media
While he continues to rip his way across the surf of the world, Jordy Smith has decided to finally make his presence felt in the world of virtual surfing as well.
Just days ago, he launched the official Jordy Smith website.
The slick site features video clips of Jordy in action as well as photos and a blog. There is also a news section that will keep interested parties in the loop about where in the world Jordy is and what he is up to. (Currently he is taking part in the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by LG Mobile in Australia.)
Find Jordy’s profile, biography, as well as his growing list of sponsors on the site, all to the sound of some his favourite tunes.
Impressive, Jordy! We’ll definitely make a point of including it in our list of stops on our daily virtual surfing session of the web!
