Anastasia Venter and Thomas Lindhorst Are The 2024 SA Surfing Champions

Mens finalists © Zane De Lange

Victoria Bay: In an exciting finish to the 59th SA Surfing Championships, Anastasia Venter is the new Women’s Champion, and defending Men’s Champion Tom Lindhorst retains his title. Buffalo City wins the coveted President’s Cup, and Tyrell Johnson wins the Surfer Of The Contest Award

Women’s Finalists © Zane De Lange

First up was the Open Women’s Final, and Venter looked strong from the get-go, her international competitive experience paying off. In the brisk offshore conditions, it was evident that Natasha Van Greunen was hungry for a win and pushed relentlessly for the duration of the final. At the same time, Danielle Powis showed flashes of brilliance on her backhand while Katie Winter struggled to get onto the good set waves. 

The judges awarded Venter a 7.33 – the highest heat score – for one spectacular ride where she managed to link turns and ride through to the inside. Even though Van Greunen had a 5.9 score on the board as an answer, it wasn’t enough, and Venter became the new South African Women’s Champion. 

Open Women’s Final Results

1 Anastasia Venter (CW)

2 Natasha Van Greunen (CTS)

3 Danielle Powis (CW)

4 Katie Winter (CTS)

The Open Men’s Final was as dramatic as they come. Luke Van Wyk found himself in a reasonably comfortable lead quite early in the heat, holding the rest of the finalists at bay with a combined score of 11.64. 

The finalists were scratching for the set waves, with Max Elkington and defending champion Thomas Lindhorst trailing and Tyrell Johnson unable to find any waves with scoring potential. Johnson had such a good semifinal heat that he had peaked too early and couldn’t find a good rhythm out there. 

As the heat ticked down, goofy-footed Lindhorst scratched into a good-looking wave that opened up for him and allowed for a series of powerful turns for a score of 5.67. As time ran out, another wave came through, and Lindhorst managed to catch it. 

“Max (Elkington) was looking at that last wave, and I knew that if he didn’t go, I would have a chance,” said a very stoked Lindhorst. 

“I managed to catch it, did an opening roundhouse cutback with a nice little vert off the white water, and then the wave reformed on the inside and managed to hit it a few times. I got lucky with that last wave just by Max leaving it, and then I got lucky again because it set up nicely over the inside section, which got me the win, and I am so stoked.”  

Needing to score just under 6 points to win the final, Lindhorst’s final wave came in at 6.40, and the Buffalo City surfer retained his title to become the SA Men’s Champion 2024. 

Open Men’s Final Results

1. Thomas Lindhorst (BC)

2. Luke Van Wyk (CTS)

3. Max Elkington (CTS)

4. Tyrell Johnson (BC)

The surf for this contest was good to epic for the three days, with just the solid southwesterly wind and some rain on finals day, making it extra challenging for the remaining competitors.

The districts of Cape Town Surfriders, Cape Winelands Surfriders, Eden Surfriders, Nelson Mandela Bay Surfriders, Buffalo City Surfriders, Ugu, eThekweni, and Ilembe Surfriders competed in this event. In the end, Buffalo City claimed the President’s Cup Team Trophy, with Cape Town Surfriders in second and Cape Winelands in third.

Buffalo City and the President’s Cup © Zane De Lange

Presidents Cup Full Results

8. eThekweni – 2418

7. Ugu – 2636

6. Nelson Mandela Bay – 3628

5. Ilembe – 3938

4. Eden – 4183

3. Cape Winelands – 4340

2. Cape Town Surfriders – 5367

1. Buffalo City – 5410

Tyrell Johnson won the Surfer of the Contest trophy, which Bary Wolins donated in 1996. 

Tyrel Johnson and the Surfer Of The Contest award

To find the event heat-by-heat results – LIVEHEATS