Press Release | 2026 Sea Harvest South African Para Surfing Championships presented by the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture and hosted by Made for More

The 2026 Sea Harvest South African Para Surfing Championships presented by the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture celebrates its 10^th Anniversary in Durban over the weekend

Ten years ago, in October 2016, a handful of para surfers created history when they competed in the first ever South African Para Surfing Championships at Muizenberg in the Western Cape. Over the past weekend (April 18 & 19) thirty seven para surfers plus coaches, numerous volunteers, judges and organisers from as far as the Cape West Coast, Muizenberg in the Cape Peninsula joined Durban locals to celebrate this anniversary in style at the 2026 Sea Harvest SA Para Surfing Championships at New Pier in Durban.

Supported by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and hosted by local NGO Made for More, the 2026 edition of this National Surf contest crowned eleven new South African Champions and created the base from which the 2026 South Africa Para Surfing Team will be drawn.

The 2026 SA Para Surfing Team will compete later this year in the ISA World Para Surfing Championships in the USA.

The newly crowned South African Champions are Nokuthula Yonke ( All-inclusive Kneel Division female) and Thando Nqakwe (All-inclusive Kneel Division male), Diego Saal (All-inclusive Prone male), Audrey Bawden (All-inclusive Prone female), Joe de Billot (All-inclusive Stand male), David Williams (Kneel male), Raemondo Lessing ( Prone 2 male), Noluthando Makalima ( Prone 2 female), Ricardo Mateus( Prone 1 male), Tracy McKay (Prone 1 female) and Simphiwe Ntshangas ( Visually Impaired).

Event organisers Made for More worked with Surfing South Africa and the International Surfing Association to ensure that all the competitors were correctly classified and the Head Judge for the event was Internationally Accredited Judge and Senior Ballito Lifeguard,Bongani Xulu

The full results of all the heats are available on www.liveheats.com/surfingsouthafrica

Photos are posted on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

About Surfing South Africa
Surfing South Africa is the official National Federation for the sport of 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 National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. (DSAC).
Surfing South Africa is responsible for the development of the sport, the hosting of National tournaments, the sanctioning of all International and National events and the selection of National teams in all the disciplines that are part of SSA. SSA is a member of the African Surfing Confederation (ASC), Union of the Indian Oceans Surfing Federations (UIOSF) and the International Surfing Association (ISA), the World governing body for the sport.