Cape Town Surfriders retain the Presidents Cup at 56th SA Championships in Victoria Bay.
Luke Thompson and Sarah Scott crowned South African Men’s and Women’s Champions.
The Cape Town Surfriders team won the Presidents Cup for the second year in a row at the 56th South African Surfing Championships which was completed in small, difficult Victoria Bay surf on Sunday October 30th
Luke Thompson of eThekweni Surfriders won the South African Men’s title and was awarded the Surfer of the Contest Trophy while Sarah Scott of Cape Town Surfriders won the South African Women’s title and was awarded the Dave Fish Trophy for the second year in a row for her high quality performance from day one of the event.
Despite the difficult conditions all the surfers who competed on the final day of this event produced some top class surfing.
In the 30 minute Men’s Final Thompson was pushed all the way by fellow 2022 National Team member Luke Slijpen of Cape Town Surfriders. After a ding dong battle, Thompson posted a score of 14.36. Slijpen, who was third in the 55th SA Championships last year, came second with a score of 13.10. 2019 SA Champion Joshe Faulkner of Nelson Mandela Bay Surfriders scored 12.03 and finished third while Karl Steen of Ilembe Surfriders came fourth with 8.60 points.
Scott’s 9.83 points secured her the win over Cape Town Surfriders team mate Kira Hofmeyr, who was in the lead up until the last few minutes of the heat. Hofmeyr scored 7.83, third placed Anastasia Venter of Cape Winelands Surfriders posted 6.40 while Aimee du Preez of Buffalo City Surfrider’s 5.47 points gave her fourth place.
The 2022 Presidents Cup winners, Cape Town Surfriders, scored 5845 points and runners up, Buffalo City Surfriders scored 4315 points. Nelson Mandela Bay Surfriders were third with 4315 points and just 7 points behind NMBS, in fourth place were event hosts Eden Surfriders with 4308 points. eThekwini Surfriders came fifth with 4123 points and Cape Winelands Surfriders were sixth with 3261 points. 2021 SA Championships hosts ILembe Surfriders came seventh with 3203 points and Ugu Surfriders were eighth with 2308 points.
All the heat results from the three days of competition are posted on www.liveheats.com/surfingsouthafrica and photos are available on the Surfing SA Facebook page.
Victoria Bay last hosted the South African Championships, the country’s longest running surfing contest, in 2006 and this year the event was supported by George Tourism and the Western Cape Government.
Sixty nine surfers competed in the 56th South African Championships which was held in surf that ranged from onshore conditions on Day One, excellent conditions on Day two and small surf on Day three.
The 56th South African Surfing Championships was presented by Surfing South Africa and hosted by the Eden Surfriders.
IMAGE GALLERY
Photos by Deep South Photography
