The weekend that was...

As you most probably know by now, last weekend was host to a very special contest that the Capetonian bodyboarding community took strongly to. The contest was the Warrior Challenge and swarms of bodyboarders dawned upon Glen Beach to surf this contest which was in loving memory of our close friend David Lilienfeld.

Although the basis of the contest was of "morbid nature" the prizes at the end of the tunnel were not. The prize money stood at R2500 plus a whole lot of other stuff that would not have fitted in an average sized car. The waves were amazing! Big 6ft ramps separated the boys from the men and as the heats started to go by, the competition veterans were proving themselves. One by one the pack of bodyboarders thinned out as round after round culled the weak and unskilled. My time for judgement came in the semi finals where I got a 3rd place and joined the losers pool.

4 riders remained- Tristan Roberts, who throughout the contest fought bravely against foes who had long been in the realm of contest before him. The boy, only 15, left many a victim crying in shame after unleashing a vast array of massive flips, big inverts and highly technical reverses. Aden Kleve, a dangerous contender from a village called Kommetjie where riding a bodyboard is a way of life. Aden stormed through heats with his careful and calculated riding leaving a wake of destruction as he passed. Charles Pass, took fellow contenders to the cleaners with his venomous arm extended rolls and barrel riding skills and finally Andrew Raath who once ate cheese burgers but now eats bodyboarders!

The finals was intense with massive moves being pulled by Tristan and Charles but with no luck on the landing. Aden snuck in some clean rolls and spins which gave him solid scores, while Andrew was fighting back with one or two flips on the inside. In the end Aden took 1st place, Tristan took 2nd, 3rd went to Charles and 4th was reserved for Andrew.

Although I would have loved to have shared some footage of the final with you, all I have is this invert that my mate, Christiaan Els, got of me in one of my heats while riding my brand new Thiel Board. Check it out...dont hate :)

The Bay

There is a place on the Garden Route that I have made more surf missions to than anywhere else on the South African map. This place is a small town and the inhabitants are all "boere" meaning they lack the skill to communicate in English which, make the people of this town rather hilarious. The town was discovered by Vasco Da Gama at the dawn of time and is famous for having gas. I have come to call this place "My home from homes" because, as korky as this town is, I LOVE MOSSEL BAY!!!!

Once you get used to the town it grows on you. The people are super friendly and have become some of my best friends, over the years that we have shared together. Partying in this town is a mash up of brandy and cola that causes one to lose all dignity in a matter of hours. I developed a gambling problem in the Bay because everyone else has one. For breakfast you eat steak, for lunch you eat steak and for dinner you eat steak! Everyone knows everyone and life is good. Oh and did I mention the waves are amazing?

The following images in this post were taken by an amateur photgrapher who was quite possibly inebriated while performing the art of taking photos, but instead of denouncing him lets just say that hes a VERY contemporary artist known as Peppi Venter (he has Facebook ;) )

In this rather blurry image is Johan Nortjie, a local in the bay, steering a clean forward air into completion at bottom section.

This Image is the result of a slow shutter speed- Johan Nortjie in a happy place

A wave that I find so much fun for Drop Knee is Inner pool located next to its bigger brother Outer pool.

Getting under the lip at Inner Pool- Matt Webster

An lonely wave passes by at Outer Pool

Vlooi Botha has some style, especially when he gets vertical!

Going for glory, Vlooi Botha enters a whole in a wave

Looking Zef so Fresh

It's one thing to stand out as an individual, but to stand out as a group is an experience that can only be compared to the time you laid eyes on your 1st brand new board!

With the South African Bodyboarding Champs only a slash away from now, the Boland team all assembled at our holy headquarters, aka the Gordon's Bay Yacht Club, to receive what is to be our gear that renders us separate and distinct from the 6 other teams that endure cut throat competition against each other to claim the all so coveted fisherman's trophy at the National contest.

Upon arriving at yacht club the atmosphere was chilled mixed with the true smell of anticipation. The 1st year groms were frothing to get their grubby paws on the new material that was to cover their naked bodies from head to toe, the material that would be placing honor upon their sun soaked shoulders, the material that proves them part of the Boland Bodyboarding Association and ultimately part of the Family.
The more experienced guys, who have been on the team for a few years, were looking cool and calm as they spoke about near death experiences and large ramps provides at one of the waves in the area days before, but they to were eager to receive their colors. To the veterans who had formed the provincial team decades ago- this procedure was part of a never ending cycle that they have come to love.

Names started being read out and one by one each soul that had surfed and prospered in the trial series of 2012 stood up with pride to collect their gear infront of an audience of elated parents, bitter rivals and stoked friends. This was the result... A group defined by their colors- yellow and black- A group Looking zef so freshly!