Junior surfers welcome the return of SA Junior Champs to Durban’s historic New Pier

 

Jordy Maree

Durban’s historic New Pier will be the venue for the upcoming Hurley SA Junior Champs presented by Durban, the fourth time in 15 years that the tournament will take place at what is arguably the epicentre of surfing in South Africa. The Surfing South Africa premier event will see 150 of South Africa’s best junior surfers vying for national honours as well as provincial team and individual titles in the Under 13, U15 and U17 Boys and Girls age divisions.

New Pier in Durban has over the last few decades hosted its fair share of surf contests in epic conditions, and it has also been a breeding ground for some of South Africa’s most successful surfers on the international stage. When the weeklong SA Junior Champs kicks off between 4^th-9^th October, the next generation of South African surfers will be looking to stamp their authority at one of South Africa’s most popular and iconic surf spots.

Of the nine teams that will be represented at the Hurley SA Junior Champs presented by Durban (KZN Central, Western Province, Eastern Province, Border, Southern KZN, Boland, Zululand, Southern Cape, and a SA Development team), hosts KZN Central will be looking to make the home ground advantage work in their favour. Having won eight consecutive team titles between 1996 (when Durban hosted the first SA Junior Championships) and 2003, the team from KZN Central will be working hard to ensure that history repeats itself. Western Province, current holders of the team title, will once again be fielding a strong team and are unlikely to surrender the title without a fight.

Standouts from the 2010 edition of the SA Junior Champs who will be competing this year include Sarah Baum (KZN Central), Chanelle Botha (Southern KZN), Gina and Emma Smith (Eastern Province) and Jordy Maree (Western Province). Other names to watch out for include Steven Sawyer (Eastern Province), Brandon Benjamin (Western Province), Benji Brand and Max Armstrong (both Western Province), Adin Masencamp (Boland) and Donavan Wichmann (Western Province).

Also on the line for Under 17 Boys and U17 Girls competitors, as well as U15 Boys surfers, is the chance to earn national honours as winners in each of these three divisions will be crowned 2011 South African Champions in their respective age groups. The chance to be awarded national colours, and the associated honour of receive green national team blazers and national colours, will no doubt add much significance to what is already considered the most important junior event on the Surfing South Africa calendar. The winners of these three divisions will each receive their blazers and national colours at an award ceremony scheduled to take place at the event on completion of the last Final (Sunday, 9^th October).

Robin de Kock, General Manager of Surfing South Africa, said that “not only does this event showcase the talents of the country’s best junior surfers between the ages of 10-17, but it also prepares them for the next step up. This is where champions are spotted and where their talents are developed, and we are stoked that Hurley SA and Durban have come on board as sponsors as they are focussed squarely on supporting and developing South African junior surfing”.

According to Hurley SA Marketing Manager Liam Wood, “by throwing our support behind and aligning with one of Surfing South Africa’s premier junior events, we hope to be able to have a positive impact upon junior surfing in South Africa. By inspiring South Africa’s future champions, we will not only position the Hurley brand favourably, but also contribute to South Africa’s reputation as a proud surfing nation”.

Also up for grabs at the SA Junior Champs will be the Freedom Cup, which will be won by the team who collectively accumulate the most points over the course of the entire event. For the first time event, this year’s Hurley SA Junior Champs presented by Durban will also feature two new exciting elements, namely the Red Bull Air Show and the Tag Team contest between the participating teams.

For more information about the Hurley SA Junior Champs presented by Durban, visit www.hurley.co.za, ‘Like’  Hurley South Africa on Facebook or follow HurleyZA on Twitter. Daily results and photos will also be posted on www.hurley.co.za and www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za. Supporting sponsors are Skullcandy, Red Bull, Red Bull Mobile, Southern Sun North Beach, Container Conversions and Zigzag. The event also has the support of the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, and Sport and Recreation South Africa. . The event is organised by Nerve Events and the host province is the KZN Central Surfriders Association.

Surfing South Africa is recognised as the governing body for the sport by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and Sport and Recreation SA. Surfing South Africa is a member of the International Surfing Association (ISA); the world’s governing body for surfing.

South Africa’s top junior surfers set to shine at upcoming Hurley SA Junior Champs presented by Durban

Most of South Africa’s best junior surfers will be taking to the waves at Durban’s New Pier between 4th-9th October in their quest to claim the coveted SA Junior Champs 2011 provincial team and individual titles. The 15th edition of this weeklong event, sanctioned by Surfing South Africa and presented by Durban, will see over 150 surfers representing nine teams from eight provinces competing for national honours, as well as the chance to stake a claim as South Africa’s next potential competitor on surfing’s international stage.

The involvement of Hurley, who have committed as title sponsors of this event for the next five years, will no doubt add extra impetus to what is already a highly-respected and closely contested annual event. Robin de Kock, General Manager of Surfing South Africa, said that “the SA Junior Champs is the most important junior event on the Surfing South Africa calendar. Not only does the event showcase the talents of the country’s best junior surfers between the ages of 10-17, but it also prepares them for the next step up. This is where champions are spotted and where their talents are developed, and we are stoked that Hurley SA and Durban have come on board as sponsors as they are focussed squarely on supporting and developing South African junior surfing”.

According to Hurley SA Marketing Manager Liam Wood, “by throwing our support behind and aligning with one of Surfing South Africa’s premier junior events, we hope to be able to have a positive impact upon junior surfing in South Africa. By inspiring South Africa’s future champions, we will not only position the Hurley brand favourably, but also contribute to South Africa’s reputation as a proud surfing nation”.

Age categories that will be contested include boys and girls Under 13, U15 and U17. Jordy Maree (Western Province), who has already established himself as one of the top juniors in the country by winning a host of junior events over the last few years, will be back to defend his boys U13 title. Another surfer who will be looking to defend the title she won at last year’s event is Sarah Baum (KZN Central) who claimed the Girls U17 title. Eastern Province’s Gina Smith, who claimed the Girls U15 title in 2010, will be looking for a victory in the Girls U17 division this year, as will last year’s Girls U13 winner Chanelle Botha (Southern KZN). Other surfers who will be looking to continue their fine form from the last year include Steffen Burrows (Boys U15, Boland) as well as Eastern Province duo and U17 Boys and Girls finalists from last year Steven Sawyer and Emma Smith.

No doubt of massive significance to both the Boys and Girls U17 competitors, as well as the U15 Boys surfers, will be the fact that the winners of these divisions will be crowned 2011 SA Champions.  All three surfers will receive their green national team blazers and their national colours at an award ceremony scheduled to take place at the event on completion of the last Final (Sunday, 9th October).

While individual honours will be their primary goal, the surfers from the eight provincial teams as well as a SA development team (hosts KZN Central, defending champions Western Province, Eastern Province, Border, Southern KZN, Boland, Zululand, Southern Cape) will also be looking to claim the coveted Freedom Cup. First presented on National Freedom Day at the SA Junior Champs in East London in 2004, the Freedom Cup is won by the team who collectively accumulate the most points over the course of the entire event.

This year’s Hurley SA Junior Champs presented by Durban will also feature two new exciting elements in the Red Bull Air Show, as well as a Tag Team contest between the participating teams. Scheduled to take place between the semi-finals and finals on the final day of the contest, the Red Bull Air Show will offer a prize of R5000 to the surfer who completes the most impressive aerial maneuver.
For more information about the Hurley SA Junior Champs, visit www.hurley.co.za <http://www.hurley.co.za> , ‘Like’  Hurley South Africa on Facebook or follow HurleyZA on Twitter. Daily results and photos will also be posted on www.hurley.co.za <http://www.hurley.co.za>  and www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za <http://www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za> . Supporting sponsors are Skull Candy, Red Bull, Red Bull Mobile, Southern Sun North Beach, Container Conversions and Zigzag. The event also has the support of the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, and Sport and Recreation South Africa.



Surfing South Africa is recognised as the governing body for the sport by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and Sport and Recreation SA. Surfing South Africa is a member of the International Surfing Association (ISA); the world’s governing body for surfing.











  

National Training Provider commemorates milestone

DURBAN – September 2011 marked the 30 year anniversary of the founding of Bruniquel & Associates Pty Ltd.  Bruniquel & Associates or B&A (http://www.bruniquel.co.za) specialises in Industrial Relations, Diversity and Leadership Training, HR Consulting and Skills Development. B&A holds the distinction of producing thought-provoking, relevant Training DVDs, and a showcase of accredited, practical, systems-based training programmes that can be customised to client’s needs.

B&A delivers training and consulting solutions that help businesses across all industries manage conflict and, in the process, become more efficient and productive. B&A facilitators are skilled, subject matter experts that have practical experience and have been trained in aspects of Labour Law, HR, Leadership, Diversity and Skills Development.

CELEBRATING THE PAST

The company was started by Bruno Bruniquel in 1981 with a mission to assist in bringing about peaceful change in South Africa by teaching people in the workplace how to effectively handle conflict. What set B&A apart was the fact that Bruno learnt to produce practical, system based training programmes augmented by videos which he wrote and produced. Over the years these have been used extensively by International companies, blue chip companies and both Government and local government departments throughout the SADC region. Today more than 200 organisations throughout South Africa regularly make use of the B&A training programmes.

The fact that managers learnt to negotiate and to handle conflict in the workplace contributed indirectly to the fact that South Africa was able to avoid civil war.

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE FUTURE

Today, while the challenges are different, there is still a strong need to teach managers how to deal with labour relations. A new development for B&A was the introduction of Leadership training to its portfolio. “Discipline is often used as a substitute for leadership. The challenge is therefore to shift paradigms so as to produce leaders who can bring about productive and profitable work places” says Bruno.

The company commemorated this milestone with an event for staff and clients held at the Elangeni Hotel on Thursday, September 29, 2011.

ABOUT BRUNIQUEL & ASSOCIATES

B&A offers a holistic approach to HR and labour relations. Courses are targeted at middle management, supervisors, and shop stewards within any organisation. B&A IR courses cover labour law; all aspects of discipline from counselling through to representing a party in an arbitration; assertiveness and conflict handling; handling complaints and grievances and negotiating skills.

The Practical Leadership Skills programme is aimed at team leaders and middle managers and covers communication skills, principles of leadership, time management, performance management, selection skills, motivating a work team, team building and job instruction and coaching skills.

These courses are accredited with the Services Seta and are renowned for their practical, experiential approach to training. They also include realistic, broadcast quality South African DVDs, case studies, role plays and practical exercises, which supplement the learning experience.

Clients who have conducted B&A in-house training courses have effectively managed trade union relationships, reduced absenteeism, and achieved greater productivity through effective performance management.

For more information about Bruniquel & Associates contact Cathy Johnson, Sales and Marketing Director.

Tel: (031) 309 4627

Fax: 086 574 2296

www.bruniquel.co.za

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