Accommodation in Table View – surf Milnerton, Doodles, Big Bay and Derdesteen. Table View is right next to Bloubergstrand. Kite Beach (Doodles) is also a prime world reknowned kitesurfing spot.
Accommodation in Bloubergstrand – surf spots like Doodles, Big Bay, Derdesteen with a beautiful view of Table Mountain in the background. Good waves for all levels of surfers.
Accommodation in Melkbosstrand – surf spots like Derdesteen, Tube Wave, Toilets, Kelp Lane & Van Riebeeckstrand. Great waves for all levels of surfing.
Accommodation in Milnerton – log or surf Milnerton Light House on a light South-Easter or try your luck at Wedge (long walk towards Cape Town harbor, but well worth it on a big swell with a light South-East).
Accommodation in Lambert’s Bay – some cranking spots here in Lambert’s Bay which is just beyond Eland’s Bay. Surf Yo-yo’s, Farmer Burgers and a selection of slabs, big waves and lesser known breaks. We can hook you up with the locals in the know if you’re interested.
Accommodation in Still Bay – some cranking surf at Morris Point and around this coast. Some of the best waves I’ve ever had in my life!
Accommodation in Plettenberg Bay – the Wedge at Plett is a well known surf spot. LOADS of options in and around Plett though as you’re on the Garden Route.
Accommodation in Strand – surf Caves (Koeel Bay) or Pipe right in Strand. Fun waves for everyone!
Jinzun Harbour, Taitung/Taiwan (Sunday, December 2, 2018) – South African Steven Sawyer (ZAF) has won the 2018 World Surf League (WSL) World Longboard Championship at the Taiwan Open of Surfing, defeating longboarding legend Kai Sallas (HAW) in clean, one metre waves at Jinzun Harbour in Taitung, Taiwan.
The 24-year-old from Jeffreys Bay was on fire all event but saved his best performances for the final day, posting excellent heat totals in all three heats, including a near-perfect 9.50 (out of 10) single wave score in the semi-finals, the highest of the entire event. Sawyer’s combination of traditional and progressive longboarding manoeuvres was impeccable as he went one better than his runner-up finish at the 2016 World Longboard Championship.
“2016 was my second year at the World Championships and I don’t think I was ready or prepared to win — This year I was definitely ready,” Sawyer said. “I still pinch myself when I surf against guys like Kai (Sallas), Taylor (Jensen) and Harley (Ingleby), They are all my heroes so competing against them is surreal.
“I was watching Kai all week and he was looking to be the guy to beat so when I came up against him in the final I was really nervous. It was all good though, as I had such an incredible crew cheering me on from the beach that got me really pumped up to perform.”
Sawyer, who is also an accomplished shortboard competitor having won a WSL Qualifying Series (QS) event and earning a wildcard into the 2017 J-Bay Open Championship Tour event, was competing on a surfboard shaped by his father, Des Sawyer, that seemed to suit the waves of Taiwan perfectly. He now joins a select group of South African born WSL World Champions that includes Shaun Thompson, Wendy Botha, Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker and Jordy Smith (Junior)..
“My dad has been shaping me incredible boards recently and they worked so well all event. This is my second time to Taiwan and it is such an amazing place with amazing waves, I think it’s the best surf trip I have ever done — Now it’s become even more special for me,” said Sawyer, who had the massive crowd supporting him on the beach erupting every time he caught a wave, making the atmosphere electric.
Kai Sallas was obviously despondent after coming just short of the title once again. In his 15th year of competing at the World Longboard Championships, a maiden title continues to elude him. Regardless of his runner-up finish, the Hawaiian will remain as one of the icons of modern longboarding.
“To make it all the way to the final and then lose never feels good — it really hurts,” Sallas said. “I feel like I was surfing so well all event and then just lost my rhythm in the final. I’ve been competing for a World title for 15 years now and come really close a few times. I think maybe next year I won’t be taking it as seriously as I do because it hits you harder when you don’t win. I’m happy for Steven and his win, but I’m definitely hurting.”
On his way to the final, Sawyer took down the reigning three-time WSL World Longboard Champion Taylor Jensen (USA) in their semi-final encounter and former Taiwan Open winner Tony Silvagni (USA) in the quarter-finals.
Sawyer’s fellow WSL Africa representatives in the Men’s and Women’s World Longboard Championships were eliminated earlier in the event with Sam Christianson (Durban) advancing to Round 3 before ending his debut campaign in equal 13th place overall. Alfonzo Pieters (Muizenberg) and Chrystal Hulett (St Francis Bay) were both ousted in Round 2 with Pieters finishing equal 25th in the men’s event and Hulett equal 13th among the women in her maiden world title event.
The 2018 Taiwan Open of Surfing will continue on Monday with the WSL World Junior Surfing Championships now that longboard champions have been crowned. This is the first year in WSL history that the Junior and Longboard Champions will be crowned at the same event. The best 18-and-under surfers in the world will do battle for the chance to join the historic winner’s list that features the likes of Andy Irons (HAW), Joel Parkinson (AUS), Adriano De Souza (BRA), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), Laura Enever (AUS) and many more.
The WSL Africa regional representatives include Luke Slijpen (Hout Bay), Max Elkington (Kommetjie), Eli Beukes (Kommetjie) and Luke Thompson (Durban) in the junior men’s event while Kai Woolf (Jeffreys Bay) and Zoe Steyn (East London ) will be challenging for the junior women’s title.
Round 1 of both the men and the women are expected to start at 7:00 am local time (12 midnight Sunday night, South African time). The WSL World Junior Surfing Championships run from 3 – 9 December
All the action from the Taiwan Open of Surfing can watched live at www.worldsurfleague.com and on the Free WSL App. Head there for more information, images, highlights and results.
Taiwan Open World Longboard Championship Men’s Final Results:
1: Steven Sawyer (ZAF) 16.10
2. Kai Sallas (HAW) 15.10
Taiwan Open World Longboard Championship Men’s Semi-final Results:
SF1: Steven Sawyer (ZAF) 16.10 DEF. Taylor Jensen (USA) 12.96
SF2: Kai Sallas (HAW) 15.80 DEF. Cole Robbins (USA) 15.10
Taiwan Open World Longboard Championship Men’s Quarter-final Results:
QF1: Steven Sawyer (ZAF) 14.76 DEF. Tony Silvagni (USA) 12.94
QF21: Taylor Jensen (USA) 14.23 DEF. Harley Ingleby (AUS) 13.57
QF3: Kai Sallas (HAW) 16.33 DEF. Edouard Delpero (FRA) 12.83
QF4: Cole Robbins (USA) 14.67 DEF. Antoine Delpero (FRA) 12.36
Img: Taryn King displays the form that makes her one of the top seeds in the La Muse Classic at Muizenberg on 11 and 12 August. Photo: Ian Thurtell
The second annual La Muse Classic women’s longboard surfing event will be staged at Muizenberg next weekend to celebrate womanhood, the ocean and community.
Featuring several of the country’s top female longboard stars such as Taryn King, Mia Baard and Marishka Diebold, the event also encourages women of all ages, backgrounds and varying capabilities, who might otherwise feel intimidated to surf in a regular surfing contest, to come together to enjoy and share a common love for the ocean.
As the name ‘La Muse’ suggests, the event promotes the concept that surfing is more than a mere competitive sport but a ‘source of inspiration’. It is this element of ‘stoke’ that has inspired this fun-filled ladies event which seeks to introduce competitive women’s’ surfing in a fun, friendly and easy-going environment.
In honour of women’s month, each day will commence at 7:30am with a yoga session to salute the sun while a range of body products from the Skoon pamper tent, sunscreen from Back to Nature and a The Store pop-up shop available throughout each day.
“The energy of sisterhood at the La Muse Classic is intoxicating,” says Chio Moulang, CEO of The Store. “Our aim is to present an event that ticks all the girly boxes. This collective of like-minded women have come together to surf, dance, shop, get pampered and try save the world”.
As daughters of Mother Nature, the La Muse Classic is partnering with Ocean Pledge.org to make this year’s contest a ‘Blue Ocean Event’. Waste management is a top priority and partnerships with Faithful-to-Nature,
Rolling Wood, Bootleggers, Expressions on the Beach and Hang Ten Cafe will ensure that the contest remains single-use plastic-free.
Beach Co-Op will be doing their monthly beach clean-up during the event and Waste-Ed will be demonstrating how to pack EcoBricks so that the plastic found on the beach can be used for social upliftment purposes.
In addition to protecting the environment, La Muse will be giving back to the community as well by collaborating with “The Young Knitters Club of Lavender Hill”, an NPO that empowers women with opportunities for education and employment. Each contestant will receive a hand knitted beanie that is sponsored by ‘Seven’.
The La Muse Classic runs on Saturday and Sunday, 11 and 12 August at Muizenberg Corner and the event will culminate in an attempt to set a record for the ‘most women riding longboards on the same wave’.
For more information see
Check out the following channels to connect with La Muse:
Ballito, KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal. Shaun Tomson rode the crest of his career wave earlier this week, when he was honoured with an induction into the elite South African Hall of Fame, the highest accolade that any South African sports person or performing artist can receive.
Listed among the top ten surfers of the century, the former Durbanite was the 1977 World Surfing Champion and six times winner of the Gunston 500 in Durban. Apart from surfing, Tomson is also a renowned author, businessman, environmentalist and motivational speaker.
Former World Surfing Champion, Shaun Tomson, receives his South African Hall of Fame award from Eugene Lewis (CEO, SA Hall of Fame, pictured left) and Johnny Burger (Chairman, SA Hall of Fame). Tomson, who was crowned World champion in 1977, was decorated with the highest honour for a South African sports person at the Coco de Mer Luxury Boutique Hotel in Ballito on Wednesday evening, June 27, 2018. Picture: Pierre Tostee
The South African Hall of Fame celebrates great achievements by extraordinary South Africans excelling in their field, who inspire and empower the youth to holistically reach their full potential. An individual’s integrity, sportsmanship and character are also taken into account.
“The surfboard became a mere vehicle for an incredible human being, Shaun Tomson, to epitomise his passion and perseverance, and then he returned to create a message of hope,” said Johnny Burger, Chairman of the South African Hall of Fame.
“We firmly believe that character supersedes talent and that one human being, no matter how big or small can make an enormous impact. The biggest sporting legend that has ever walked South Africa, besides Gary Player, is Shaun Tomson. We honour you, we respect you and we thank you for leaving something bigger and longer-lasting behind, than just yourself, and that is a true legacy,” said Burger, before handing Tomson his accolade.
On accepting his newest award, Tomson, now California based, said “I am so humbled and so honoured to receive this award from my homeland. I know that I am going to do my homeland proud and spend more time here. What you will, you will become!”
Tomson’s powerful words of inspiration come from his book The Code: The Power of I Will, where he illustrates how people, especially the youth can change their lives in just twelve steps, each beginning with “I will…”.
Shaun Tomson has spent the past few weeks motivating local schools and organisations through the Positive Wave Tour as part of the 50th edition of the world’s longest running professional surfing event, the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong in KwaZulu-Natal
Such is his affinity with the local youth that it has earned him the affectionate nickname ‘Baba Tom’. Wiseman Cele, Manager of New Development for KwaDukuza Municipality said, “The youth that Shaun has interacted with in the last few days have been so greatly impacted by his friendliness, positive energy and accommodative manner, that they started referring to him as Baba Tom. He has become like a father-figure to them.”
“Alchemy is the transference of metals from one state to another which occurs through heat or pressure. Shaun Tomson has to be celebrated not for his achievements, but for his ability to transfer his own pain and transcend every single negative thing that has happened to him to become the person that he is today, an alchemist,” said former South African Champion surfer Greg Swart.
Tomson recently spent an afternoon with Dr. Albertina Luthuli, daughter of anti-apartheid struggle icon, Nkosi Albert Luthuli, where the two philanthropists shared their sentiments on racism, sports, politics and their common love, South Africa.
Tomson’s visit to South Africa culminates with him spending 67-minutes at the Lethithemba Secondary School for the centenary celebrations of Nelson Mandela’s birthday on 18 July #LiveTheLegacy.
I recently got married to the love of my life and thought I was pretty lucky to get to go to Bali for our honeymoon.
Little did I know that the WSL Championship Tour would overlap with our trip and we decided to make a mission to view the first day’s surfing at Keramas.
How lucky can a guy be to see one of his Saffa crew killing it?! Jordy was on fire that day and it’s a moment I’ll never forget in my life.
Apart from Keramas we had a crazy good time exploring Bali and the islands. Here are a few random shots…
I’ve decided to put all of my future surf photography and surf shop material on our new Instagram channel. Please come and follow us here: https://www.instagram.com/beachbumsa/.
South Africa’s surfing icons were honoured in the Surfers’ Circle Walk of Fame on Sunday when tablets commemorating the first 30 inductees who established and developed the sport and lifestyle on the Southern tip of Africa were officially unveiled at Muizenberg in Cape Town.
A selection of Pioneers, Legends and World Champions, ranging from Heather Price, the first South African recorded riding a wave standing on a surfboard at Muizenberg in 1919, to Justin Strong who won the ASP World Pro-Am title in 1991, had their names recorded for posterity in the country’s first national monument dedicated to surfing.
South Africa’s most famous surfing personality, Shaun Tomson, delivered a heartfelt talk of the importance of preserving and promoting surfing’s heritage before fittingly cutting a surfboard leash to open the monument. Tomson is touring the country promoting his book ‘The Code’ and was the 1977 ASP World Champion, has become an author, filmmaker and motivational speaker and is acknowledged as one of the world’s most influential surfers.
Other high-profile inductees in attendance included multiple SA Champion and Springbok team captain in the 1960’s and early ‘70’s, George Thompson, who flew in from England for the occasion; Jeffreys Bay’s Cheron Kraak; 1978 ISA World champ Ant Brodowicz from KZN and Graham Hynes from St Francis Bay, the former owner of Safari Surfboards and arguably the world’s best surfing coach.
After the completion of the public opening ceremony at the monument on the beachfront, the inductees and VIP’s attended a post event function where they were treated to speeches by former local councilor Dave D’Alton, Muizenberg Improvement District’s Chevone Peterson, Surfing South Africa Deputy President Bruce Anderson and former United Surfing Council of South Africa Secretary General, Schani Nagia.
The national monument has been seven years in the making, stemming from the highly successful Surfers Corner 60’s Reunion event in 2010. This was followed by the launch of the Surfer’s Circle Walk of Fame in 2014 when the original 12 Pioneers, three each from Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London were selected.
The SCWOF committee is in the process of forming an NPO to run the project, solicit donations for the ultimate aim of erecting a suitable statue to complement the plaques and to the select the inductees, who will be officially ratified by Surfing South Africa, the national controlling body for the sport.
Alfonso is a well-known face in the South African longboard surfing community and recently got featured on Expresso (local morning TV show in South Africa).
Alfonso is also trying to get to the World Longboard Surfing Champs in Papua New Guinea and we thought we’d spread the news to our readers to support him.
Capetonians can look forward to a bigger and better ‘celebration of beach culture’ when the seventh edition of the Earthwave Beach Festival is run at Muizenberg on the weekend 26 & 27 September. (more…)
Having recently visited JBay I’m bummed not to have made this swell. Supers was cranking and Sean Holmes and Kelly Slater made a feast of it! Enjoy people!
This year I went up for the last weekend to see the finals and what a showdown it was! I wasn’t equipped to take good photos this time, so just shot a few very amateurish ones, but you’ll get the gist of it. I didn’t get any of Mick’s shark encounter as I was literally too shocked to take pictures while it was happening. The crowd was gasping, water patrol straight on it and well, the rest is so well covered that I don’t need to rehash it all again. Enjoy the images!
Jeffreys Bay – The entries for the JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA have been flowing through consistently, with some big-hitters dropping video highlights to get into the event. The JBU Supertrial presented by RVCA will see 24 of the country’s best surfers compete for that one slot into the WSL Championship Tour’s JBay Open, and a minimum prize of US$9000 (ZAR109k). (more…)
I’m pleased to announce that I’ve finally managed to get the online surf shop up and running. You can now shop to your heart’s content. Just hover your mouse over Online Shop in the menu and choose a category. We’re starting small, but new products are coming soon.
The latest range is Easy Longboarding, made locally by our man Kai. He’s a cool dude and more’s coming soon!
If you have any questions, or would like us to list your products, drop us a line.
It’s on folks! The most ‘laid back’ surfing event to hit the Cape Town calendar is back and it’s going to be a blast. Be sure to get there early, because this year it’s going to be a cracker. I’m hitting it for the third year in a row and can truly say that it’s one of the most enjoyable contests on the South African surf calendar.
The contest is pretty laid back too in that regard, but don’t make a mistake, some top surf talent come and show off their mad retro skills.
For those that are unfamiliar with the setup, RVCA and VUDU Surf usually make available a bunch of old surf boards for contestants to surf on in the comp. The ones with the most style and flair make it through. Whether a classic fish or longboard, style is what it’s all about, so expect many a soul arch and larry laybacks.
Some tips on having an enjoyable Rolling Retro experience
Chicks (and okes for that matter) can dress up (pin-up style is a big hit!) retro and win prizes
Come early, the beach gets packed
Bring enough shade
Bring loads of sunscreen
Bring enough cash for beers and boeries at the Llandudno lifesaving club (they are to die for after a cold surf)
Don’t be a douche and free surf in the contest area
The event is on the 22nd of February 2015 from 09:00 – 22:00, see you there!
Llandudno, Cape Town – On Saturday the 1st of November surfers of all kinds will congregate at Cape Town’s Llandudno beach for a fun day out at the Off The Lip Movember Surf Jam. This event, which is hosted by Quiksilver and the Movember foundation, is aimed at creating awareness as well as raising funds for men’s prostate cancer, testicular cancer and other men’s health issues. Surfers participating in the event are encouraged to dress in seventies surf gear, alter-ego’s welcome, use surfboards from the seventies era and don freshly shaven upper lips to mark the start of a hair-raising month for creating awareness for the Movember movement. (more…)
I’m glad to see that the more wave riding sports progress, the better different genres of the sport are getting along. Except SUP’s at the moment it seems. Bodyboarders and surfers (I happen to do both) seem to get along better than ever in terms of mutual respect. At least in Cape Town waters where I surf frequently. (more…)
Ok beachbums, check out this kiff clip by Dan the Director (Dan Mace) of Bianca Buitendacht heading into her world tour. The short film covers Bianca and her good friend Johanne Defay who’s also on tour. The ladies tour is receiving a lot more attention this year and I think it’s great. Bianca also mentions how we should celebrate the subtle differences between ladies and men on tour.
“In surfing, male and female have a different way of expressing what they know on a wave. Femininity in surfing is a beautiful thing and performance and masculinity in surfing is also and I don’t think it should be compared.”
Something is sure, they all have to be damn fit and on top of their game. Kudos to Bianca, Johanne and finally Dan for putting it all together!
Chris is the kind of guy you want on your team when there’s stamina and strength of wills involved. Just check out his latest adventure below and read up more about his achievements on his blog here.
