The Oxbow 2009 South African Longboard Championships ended on a literal high point this past weekend.
Excellent head high waves marked the finals which took place at The Point at Jeffrey’s Bay on Saturday.
The home team from the host province, Eastern Province, clinched the coveted team title by beating defending champions Western Province by quite a large margin. Newcomers Southern Cape took the impressive third place and KwaZulu-Natal came fourth overall.
On the individual side, the premier Open Men’s division saw a new champion being crowned when Justin Bing from the Western Province – who was the junior champion last year, beat a trio of Eastern Province competitors: Michael Hill, 2006 Open champion Dylan McLeod and Ludie du Toit.
Despite suffering a serious and shockingly unexpected stroke earlier this year – which almost cost him his life – defending champion and two-time ISA World Longboard champion Matthew Moir (Southern Cape), remarkably managed to reach the semi-finals before being eliminated. The 31-year old Moir has astonished everyone with his swift recovery and return to the surf.
Eastern Province’s Steven Sawyer and Phillipa Hill managed to successfully defend their 2008 titles (boys’ and senior women’s respectively). Other Eastern Province riders who won are Greg Smith (Senior Men) and John McLeod (Super Legends).
Apart from Justin Bing’s victory, the Western Province also produced 2009 SA champions in Simone Robb (Open Women), her husband Alan Robb (Grandmasters) and Mark Hoyle (Veterans), while KwaZulu-Natal delivered SA champions in Scott Lefevre (Juniors), Brad Weare (Masters), Hugh Thompson (Super Vets) and Mike Larmont (Legends).
The Southern Cape’s sole individual title went to Bianca Buitendag in the Girls division.
The full results are:
Team Standings
1. Eastern Province 137 780
2. Western Province 121 200
3. Southern Cape 109 290
4. Kwazulu-Natal 93 400
Open Men
1. Justin Bing (WP)
2. Michael Hill (EP)
3. Dylan McLeod (EP)
4. Ludie du Toit (EP)
Open Women
1. Simone Robb (WP)
2. Michelle Hill (EP)
3. Bianca Buitendag (SC)
4. Roxy Towill (SC)
Junior Men (16-18 years)
1. Scott Lefevre (KZN)
2. Saul Bernstein (EP)
3. Grant Beck (EP)
4. Aaran Simmons (EP)
Masters (31-35)
1. Brad Weare (KZN)
2. Greg Heasley (EP)
3. Ryan Anderson (EP)
4. Michael Grendon (WP)
Grandmasters (36-40)
1. Alan Robb (WP)
2. Craig Cuff (EP)
3. Glen Thompson (SC)
4. Tim Ball (WP)
Senior Men (41-45)
1. Greg Smith (EP)
2. David Stubbs (WP)
3. Craig van Greunen (EP)
4. Deon Bing (WP)
Veterans (46-50)
1. Mark Hoyle (WP)
2. Steven Hair (SC)
3. Fred Le Roux (KZN)
4. Andrew Lenton (EP)
Super Vets (51-55)
1. Hugh Thompson (KZN)
2. Des Sawyer (EP)
3. G.Byram (WP)
4. Gavin Seaman (EP)
Legends (56-60)
1. Mike Larmont (KZN)
2. Greg Stokes (WP)
3. Ken Saddington (KZN)
4. Mush Hide (EP)
Super Legends (61 and over)
1. John McLeod (EP)
2. Mike Patterson (KZN)
3. Mike Hornsey (SC)
4. Terry Dean (SC)
Boys (15 and younger)
1. Steven Sawyer (EP)
2. Daniel Buitendag (SC)
3. Chaim Simmons (EP)
4. Galad Smith (EP)
Girls (15 and younger)
1. Bianca Buitendag (SC
2. Faye Zoetmulder (EP)
3. Jessie Goodman (WP)
4. Tess Saunders (SC)
Senior Women (35 and over)
1. Phillipa Hill (EP)
2. Bernie Shelley (WP)
3. Margot Sanders (EP)
4. Therese Russell (WP)
