Shark attack disrupts contest as SA Surf Tour U16 ratings leaders Zoe Steyn and Aya Gericke take honours at the Reef Wetsuits Nahoon Junior Open presented by Sea Harvest and Twizza

Monday May 14^th –  Nahoon Beach, East London:

Contest officials and the Beach Manager halted all competition at about 2pm on Day One of the Reef Wetsuits Nahoon Junior Open presented by Sea Harvest and Twizza after a surfer was attacked by a shark at nearby Nahoon Reef.

After being given the go ahead to continue by the Beach Manager on Day Two the contest was completed in fine weather and decent 3 foot surf.

Under 16 Division Girls ratings leader Zoe Steyn (East London), who was attacked by a shark at Nahoon Reef in July last year and Under 16 Boys ratings leader Aya Gericke (Wilderness) secured back to back victories when they won their respective Finals.

Daniel Emslie of East London, the Under 14 Boys ratings leader going into the Nahoon Junior Open, also maintained his number one spot with a second victory in a row in this Division.

Young Sarah Scott of Kommetjie made a huge impression at this weekend’s event by taking the Under 12 Girls title and the runner up spot to Steyn in the Under 16 Final while her bother Brad will be stoked with his well deserved third place in both the Under 16 and Under 14 Divisions.

Adriel Wolmarans won her first ever SA Surf Tour contest when she edged fellow East London surfer, Aimee Du Preez, into second spot in the Under 14 Girls Final. Ratings leader Du Preez also took fourth in the U16 Girls Division.

Nahoon local Joel Fowles posted his first ever SAST victory when he won the Under 12 Boys final while another East London surfer, Rory Dace, took honours ahead of Josh Malherbe of Coffee Bay in the Under 10 division. Malherbe was second in the Under 12 Boys final and Dace took third.

Luke Thompson of Durban posted the manoeuvre of the contest and won himself a lucrative Reef Wetsuits voucher and a R500 cash prize from Sea Harvest.

All the finalists were awarded medals and the winners each took home a medal, a unique winners cheque courtesy of Ridge Signs and as well as handmade trophies created by five time South African Champion and National Coach, Greg Emslie.

The Reef Wetsuits Nahoon Junior Open was presented by Sea Harvest and Twizza, sanctioned by Surfing South Africa and hosted by the Buffalo City Surfriders. Oakhampton Guest House provided the accommodation for the officials.

The 3A rated contest offered over R20000 in prize money and ratings points across seven divisions and was the second SAST event of 2018. The next SA Surf Tour contest is the 4A Rated Billabong Ballito Junior which takes place at the end of June. Entries will be opening soon on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Live scores and results were available throughout the Nahoon Junior Open on www.liveheats.com/surfingsouthafrica where the full results with wave and heat scores are posted.

 

FINALS

U16 BOYS

1. Aya Gericke (Wilderness)
2. Sam Bennie (Vredehoek)
3. Brad Scott (Kommetjie)
4. River Gericke (Wilderness)

 

U16 GIRLS

1. Zoe Steyn (East London)
2. Sarah Scott (Kommetjie)
3. Summer Sutton (Kommetjie)
4. Aimee du Preez (East London)

 

U14 BOYS

1. Daniel Emslie (East London)
2. Christian Venter (Melkbosstrand)
3. Brad Scott (Kommetjie)
4. Kyra Bennie (Vredehoek)

 

U14 GIRLS

1. Adriel Wolmarans (East London)
2. Aimee du Preez (East London)
3. Lisa Van Heerden ( Jeffreys Bay)
4. Kaylee Shaw – Nell (Port Elizabeth)
5. Kayla Olivier (East London)

 

U12 BOYS

1. Joel Fowles (East London)
2. Josh Malherbe (East London)
3. Rory Dace (East London)
4. David Emslie ( East London)

 

U12 GIRLS

1. Sarah Scott (Kommetjie)
2. Anastasia Venter ( Melkbosstrand)
3. Zia Hendricks (Jeffreys Bay)
4. Meka Loots (East London)

 

U10

1. Rory Dace (East London)
2. Josh Malherbe (Coffee Bay)
3. Josh Talbot (East London)
4. Michael Russel (East London)
5. Lelona Mitshini (East London)

Full results and photos will be posted on here….

Surfing South Africa is the recognised governing body for the sport in South Africa and is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), the African Surfing Confederation (ASC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA).