Victoria Bay: Surfers from around the country have been arriving in Victoria Bay for the 59th South African Surfing Champs this weekend. With good waves on the forecast and a slight respite in the cold weather, it looks like a great weekend of surfing at the point. 

One of the most prestigious events in the sport of surfing in South Africa, the 59th edition promises to be an exciting affair. 

The first heat of the event, for example, includes defending SA Champion champion goofy-footer Thomas Lindhorst (Buffalo City) up against Jason Du Preez (Ugu), Keagan Wright (eThekweni ) and Nick Venter (Cape Winelands). So it'll be action from the get-go.

With the first round being 20-minute heats and some healthy swell on the way, fitness will play a crucial part in the competition. Longer, point-break waves allow the surfers more opportunities to perform high-scoring moves, but it also means longer paddles to get back into position. 

At Victoria Bay, there is always the option of the run-around. A surfer can come in at the beach, run along the walkway back to the top of the point, and launch into the gully. This route can save a lot of time, but if the surf is bigger, finding a gap between the sets can also be a challenge. 

At this event, the judges will look for commitment and degree of difficulty, innovative and progressive manoeuvres, a combination of major moves, variety, speed, power and flow.

Apart from individual Men and Women Champions, there is also the President's Cup, a coveted trophy for the winning District. This trophy has been around for 45 years and is a hotly contested award. 

The winning District is determined by a combination of all the allocated points scored by team members. Last year, Buffalo City took the honours.  

Other notable trophies include one for the Surfer Of The Contest, donated by Barry Wolins in 1996. 

There is also the Dave Fish trophy for the most consistent surfer at the event. 

Shaun Joubert, Blake Crankshaw, Josh Malherbe, Justin Sykes, Avuyile Ndamase and Luke Van Wyk are among the male surfers to watch. 

Women surfers to watch include Remi Fourie, Lola Wang, Max Kaufmann, Victoria Glenny, Sophia Jackson, Anastasia Venter and Tash Mentasti. 

"South Africa's top Men and Women surfers from eight districts around the country are on their way down to the iconic point break of Victoria Bay George to compete in the 59th South African Surfing Championships," said Surfing South Africa General Manager Robin De Kock. 

"This event determines the annual South African Open Men's and Women's Champions, the Surfer of the Contest, the most consistent surfer and the Team that will take home the coveted Presidents Cup. Surfing South Africa wishes them good waves, good vibes and the best of luck as they participate in the longest-running South African surfing contest."

There is a promising prediction of good swell in the three to five-foot region for the entire weekend, with light and variable winds tending towards offshore on the finals day. 

To follow the event and the three-day event schedule - https://www.liveheats.com/events/265037/schedule

Complimentary high-resolution images will be available once the tournament has begun.

Distributed by Surfing South Africa

Craig Jarvis
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t. 082 376 4443 

About Surfing South Africa

Surfing South Africa is the official National Federation for surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Confederation of Sport and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and is recognised as the governing body by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Surfing South Africa is responsible for developing the sport, hosting National tournaments, sanctioning International events, and selecting National teams in all SSA disciplines. SSA is a member of the African Surfing Confederation (ASC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA), the sport's World governing body.