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.
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!
Adriano de Souza’s lifelong dream of becoming the Billabong Pro JBay champ came true today when he beat Joan Duru (France) in testing onshore conditions at Supertubes, Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa.
The conditions throughout the competition was excellent, with some beautiful waves and riding skills showcased. The final was quite dramatic, as with about 5 minutes to go Adriano lost a fin on the bricks after trying a desparate final move to make up points (as he was trailing in second). He had to do the run up to the point and get a new board from his caddy and get out to the lineup again, which he did, plus he scored an 8.33 wave to clinch the final in the dying seconds of the heat.
Adriano mentioned that he was dreaming about this moment since he first came to Jeffrey’s Bay at 13 years of age. He was a true champion in the event throughout. Big up to you man! Also a shout out to Joan, who was really stoked to even make the finals and who surfed extremely well. It looked like he had it in the bag, but this is the nature of the top surfing contests out there and made for great viewing.
Watch this space over the next week for the full image gallery (some sick shots coming)!
This past week I saw two great barrel riding videos and thought to put them up against each other. No, I know in size and heaviness they don’t match even closely, but just look at local man Deon Lategan getting tubed off his nut in JBay. Local is still lekker I say…
So much going on on the surf scene at the moment, so here’s a quick round-up of events:
– According to the latest update from Panama, all of our surfers are still alive in the competition at the Panama ISA World Masters Surfing Championship! This means that South Africa is tied for first place with Brazil and Australia. The winners will be determined tomorrow, 4 September 2010. Good luck, guys and gal!
– In the mean time, back in home surf, the Billabong Junior Series has gotten underway in Herold’s Bay, near George, after organisers made the decision to relocate the event from Victoria Bay in search of better waves. The move paid off and now South Africa’s top junior surfers, including the likes of Dylan Lightfoot, Sarah Baum, Bianca Buitendag, Tarryn Chudleigh, Alice McGregor, SA Open champion Chantelle Rautenbach, Kirsty Delport, Benji Brand, Steven Sawyer, Mikey Venter, Jarred Veldhuis and Slade Prestwich are all vying for the title and one of three spots in the inaugural ASP World Junior Tour to take place in Bali at the end of October.
-For those of us who aren’t quite as skilled on the board, here’s your chance to conquer the biggest waves in some of the world’s top surf spots – including South Africa’s very own J-Bay – simply by using your fingers when you play a new game called Billabong Surf Trip. The arcade-simulation surfing game, which was developed by Billabong and Biodroid, a Portuguese game developer, can be played on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Featuring some of the best professional surfers in the world, such as Andy Irons, Taj Burrows, Joel Parkinson and Tiago Pires, players will be able to experience super-realistic waves from Billabong Surf Trip destinations such as Mundaka in Spain, Pipeline in Hawaii and many others.
The surf-art style graphics create super-realistic visuals, and the game has many highlights that create a whole world inside the surfing culture. Future platforms will include Sony PSP, Wii Ware, Xbox 360
The world’s top pro surfers, including nine time world champ and current number one ranked Kelly Slater (USA) and number three ranked local Jordy Smith, are convened in Jeffrey’s Bay where they are participating in what is probably the most prestigious surfing event in South Africa: the Billabong Pro.
The 25th Billabong Pro kicked off in pristine conditions in this Mecca of South African surfing yesterday, Thursday 15 July 2010. Smith, Slater, 2007 Billabong Pro winner and Aussie Taj Burrow and and reigning ASP World Champ Mick Fanning, also from Australia, all proceeded to qualify for the third round yesterday.
Fanning, who was the top scorer of the day, posting rides of 8.83 and 7.87 (out of 10) to amass a total of 16.70 (out of 20), said it was important to take every heat seriously this year. “There are so many threats and even the rookies can do damage. I feel like I’ve been surfing well all year and I’m just focusing on every heat, and hopefully that takes me to a solid result.”
The Billabong Pro will continue until 25 July 2010. For more information, visit the event’s official website.
South Africa’s top longboard surfers are descending on Jongensfontein, near Stilbaai in the Southern Cape, to participate in the KG Longboard Classic this weekend, 19 and 20 June 2010. The event is part of international World Surfing Day celebrations.
The Classic is the first of five events that form the South African Longboard Surfing Association (SALSA) Longboard Tour, of which the last event will be at next year’s SA Championships in Durban. More than 80 surfers are expected to compete in the Open division’s Ladies, Juniors, Over 50’s and Divas (Ladies over 35) categories.
Competitors for this weekend’s event include big names such as Brad Weare from KwaZulu-Natal, Justin Bing from Western Province, Michael Grendon and Port Elizabeth competitor Dylan McLeod. Last year’s winner, Ludi du Toit from Jeffreys Bay, will be returning to defend his title.
The local surfing community is in mourning following the death of a local surfing veteran hailed by many as one of the country’s pioneers for the sport.
Shorty Bronkhorst died in Jeffreys Bay this past weekend. He was 73 years old.
According to the Weekend Post Online, Shorty began surfing in the summer of 1949 in Durban and was still doing it more than 50 years later at Super Tubes and Surfers Point. While working as a professional lifesaver in Durban, he surfed on 5m boards made out of plywood.
In 1956, at the age of 19, Shorty and a friend hitchhiked their way across Africa and eventually ended up in London. In the UK, he began building surfboards and was eventually invited to do promotions for a travel company. “Big tour buses full of spectators arrived to watch Bronkhorst and his friends from the long breakwater,” reports the Weekend Post. They were soon dubbed the “Hawaiian surferboard riders from South Africa”.
Shorty was a big advocate of keeping surfing a ‘noble’ sport. “We should try to keep it that way. Tell the youngsters to be polite in the water. Show some respect towards others and you will be appreciated much more than if you just drop in on everybody else,” he said.
“It’s unnecessary to sneak around the waiting surfers and catch a sly wave. Rather just get in line and wait your turn. The guys will think more of you if you do so.”
He is survived by his son Glen and daughters Kim and Lisa.
This coming Saturday, November 28, there will be a paddle-out at Surfer’s Point in Jeffreys Bay (Shorty’s home for the last 15 years) in honour of Shorty. All his friends are invited to participate. His ashes will be scattered in the sea off the beach where he did most of his surfing.
… to the next round of the Jeffrey’s Bay Billabong Pro is?
Sean Holmes!
After being off to a reportedly ‘nervous start’, the local favourite became the first local surfer to qualify for the next round of the Billabong Pro when he beat Hawaiian Dustin Barca.
Sean told KFM that surfing in front of the enthusiastic home crowd made him so nervous in the beginning that his legs felt like jelly.
But obviously that feeling passed, and we couldn’t be happier about it!
Globally, Jeffrey’s Bay is regarded to be South Africa’s Mecca for surfing. And now, for the first time ever, it will host a contest that will see locals competing (by inviation only) against each other.
The inaugural Xcel Supertubes Showdown will take part from 5 – 21 June 2009 and will feature sixteen locals and Supers experts who will battle it out for a first-place prize entry into the Von Zipper Wildcard Trials.
The final selection of invitees and heat draws will be announced tonight (June 3, 2009) at the opening function to take place at The Mexican Restaurant in Jeffrey’s Bay.
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)
With South Africa’s summer vacation looming just around the corner, Travel iAfrica compiled a helpful list of some of South Africa’s best beaches, including those where only surfers dare to tread.
Their list isn’t too much of a revelation – no surprises or major secret spots are revealed – containing just the usual suspects, like national surfing Mecca Jeffrey’s Bay and the hotspots along this stretch of coastline like Supertubes, Kitchen Windows, Boneyards and Bruce’s Beauties(actually at St. Francis). But it’s still a good and helpful primer, especially for foreigners or those new to the sport and the local surfing scene.
For the full list (which also includes best kid friendly beaches and the name of SA’s most trendy beach), surf to this link.
Fans of the South African junior surfing circuit with access to DStv are in for a treat.
Various SuperSport channels are screening recordings of South Africa’s best junior surfers in action at the fifth and final event in the Billabong Junior Series in Jeffreys Bay.
See the action packed, high scoring, man-on-man final between eventual winner Dale Staples and defending series and event champion Rudy Palmboom in the R35 000 Grade 1 ASP Pro Junior (U20) event. Watch as two of the country’s hottest junior girl surfers Sarah Baum and Bianca Buitendag fight out an intense duel for the sole invitation to the prestigious Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in Australia in January.
Jacob Mellish takes the biggest win of his career in the U16’s while the Jeffreys Bay pair of Dylan Lightfoot and Steve Sawyer battle for supremacy in the U14’s and Max Armstrong trumps the field in the U12’s.
And there is a feast of aerial manoeuvres as Casey Grant flies away with the Von Zipper Air Show title. All recorded and packaged by Silver Bullet Productions with a wide range of repeat broadcasts.
BILLABONG JUNIOR SERIES 2008 JEFFREYS BAY
Thu 30 October 3.00pm SS2
Fri 31 October 4.00pm SS1
Sat 1 November 8.30am SS1
Billabong South Africa has announced exciting new developments for girls’ surfing. These include plans for hosting the first ASP Grade 1 Pro Junior event here in South Africa.
The internationally rated event will be third of the three Pro Junior girls contests forming part of the 2009 Billabong Junior Series. It will take place at local surfing Mecca Jeffreys Bay. The winner will receive an invitation to compete in the annual Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in Sydney, Australia.
The first two Pro Junior girls’ events on the Billabong Junior Series will be sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA) and will form part of the SSA Pro Surf Tour (PST) with the ratings points earned counting towards the 2009 PST Pro Junior girls’ title. The top three finishers in the Billabong Junior Series ratings will also qualify for a share of the annual series prize-pool sponsored jointly by Billabong and First National Bank.
This upgrade in contest status for the fast growing girls’ surfing community in South Africa enables Billabong to align the annual Billabong Girls Get Out There series of events with the objectives of similar series around the world by focusing on beach lifestyle instead of on the competitive side of girls’ surfing.
The Girls Get Out There series will in future be aimed at getting girls down to the beach, learning to surf, having fun and enjoying themselves amongst their friends and peers.
These changes mean that the previously scheduled dates for the Billabong Girls Get Out There contests in Margate (29 & 30 November) and Jeffreys Bay (13 & 14 December) will therefore fall away. Watch the media for details of when the exciting new series of all female beach festivals visits a town near you.
