SOUTH Africa’s best Para Surfers flocked to Durban’s New Pier for the Tyre Life Solutions SA Para Surfing Championships recently.
The national competition was hosted by Made for More, a local NPO that equips and empowers people with disabilities through sport.
A total of 46 contestants took part this year, almost double the number of surfers who competed in the last SA Champs, held in 2019. The event had multiple divisions: stand, kneel, prone unassist, prone assist, blind, visually impaired, waveski and all ability.
The national competition also helped select surfers who will represent South Africa at the ISA World Para Surfing Championships in the USA later on this year. Oliver Sinclair from Hillcrest took the top spot in the prone 2 men’s assist category ahead of James Sinclair from Morningside and Lwazi Matanga from Delft in the Western Province.
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The Waveski division saw seasoned campaigner Doug Hendrikz dominate and regain his South African title, with newcomer and friend, Martin Ferreria securing a second in his first National Championships.
The all ability division, had competitors with Down’s Syndrome, autism and any other physical, intellectual or social disability, was won by Sean Thompson who took the win convincingly with rides of an 8.5 and 7.8 that resulted in a heat total of 16.3 out of 20.
Founder of Made for More and the event organiser, Julia Van Zyl said, “This event would not have been possible without our sponsors, our monthly donors and, of course, the water-assists and volunteers who give of their time and skills so selflessly to help our contestants get waves and keep them safe in and out of the water. We feel so privileged and honoured to be a part of Para Surfing and the growth of sport for people with disabilities in South Africa.”
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