DURBAN surfer, S’nenhlanhla Makhuba, is trying to raise money for a Go Get Funding campaign so she can represent SA at the 2017 ISA World Surfing Championships in Japan.
S’nenhlanhla will be surfing in the U16 girls’ team along with three other surfers who have been selected to represent SA. The competition takes place from 29 September to the 2 October at Okuraghama Beach in Kyushu. Unfortunately, Surfing South Africa (SSA) does not have funding to cover the costs of sending a South African junior team to Japan.
All the SA team and SA squad members will be required to pay a deposit to SSA indicating their commitment to being part of the team if selected. The amount required is R10 000, and a further R43 000 needs to be raised in order to cover travel costs and other expenses.
The 15-year-old Durban Girls’ High School learner started surfing at the age of nine to keep busy and active.
“I started surfing because my dad wanted to start new things and get me active. I was really scared at first but my dad helped me to overcome my fears. During the first two years of surfing I learnt the ropes aside from participating in other sports such as swimming and lifesaving,” she said.
Towards the end of 2015 she told her dad that she wanted to spend more time surfing. “I didn’t have a coach, besides other surfers. I learnt about the ocean all on my own! I was often laughed at or pointed-at by my opponents because I wore men’s second-hand wetsuits and had an old and half broken board, this usually made me think twice about what I was doing and if surfing was the sport for me, but unfortunately for them I pushed their mockery aside. I was determined to strive,” she said.
S’nenhlanhla walked away with first prize in the first contest she took part in and from then had her heart set on pursuing a career in surfing. Later that year she joined the High Performance Surfing Academy (HPSA) and is assisted by coaches like Jason Ribbink and Chad du Toit.
“Jason also makes my surfboards for me. I have had a lot of help from Ann Wright, one of the few people who encouraged me to continue surfing when I didn’t feel good enough. With help from Robin de Kock, who is the general manager of SSA, I have been able to get to competitions around the country. Both HPSA and SSA have played such a vital role in uplifting me and ensuring that I continue pursuing a career in surfing. Towards the end of 2016 the hard work and long hours on the water started paying off and I won the Billabong Series U14 girls’ title,” she said.
The young surfer has excelled in competitions this year, placing second in the U16 age group and third in the U18 age group at the Girls’ Summersurf Challenge, second in the U16 category at the Billabong Series in Port Elizabeth, coming first in the U16 division at the Nahoon Junior Pro, third in the U16 division at the BOS Cape Crown and second in U16 at the O’Neill Jordy Smith Sea Harvest Gromcomp.
Her future plans and goals include winning the U16 division at the 2017 SA Junior Champs, making it to the semi-finals in Japan at the 2017 ISA World Championships and competing on the World Tour.
“If that doesn’t work out – I will become a psychologist! I’m still improving and aiming high in my surfing. My selection in the National junior team has been the highlight of my surfing career and I’m hoping for more caps in the future,” she said.
The annual International Surfing Association World Junior Surfing Championships is the biggest junior surfing event in the World.
If you can help to make this young surfer’s dream come true, log on to: https://gogetfunding.com/a-surfers-dream-campaign/
Visit: https://www.facebook.com/asurfersdreamcampaign/ for more information.
