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.