UMHLANGA’S Beyrick De Vries put on an incredible display of surfing to win the open men’s division at the final leg of the Quiksilver Takes One To Know One series. The 21-year-old was in top form winning every heat from round one to the final, posting excellent scores. With good 4-6 ft surf on offer at Victoria Bay, spectators were treated to a high standard of surfing by the country’s best.
De Vries had to fend off a determined Michael February (Kommetjie), who posted three excellent scores in the final. De Vries was against the ropes at a stage in the heat but took to the air to crack the nod from the panel of judges scoring a nine-point ride to seal the deal.
“I am super excited about my win, the waves were so good the whole weekend and the level of surfing was amazing. It is so good to have events like this, it’s given me more confidence going into the next few international events,” said an elated De Vries after the win. He was also announced as the Quiksilver Takes One To Know One Series winner after back-to-back wins in the series.
In the U20 junior boy’s final it was Salt Rock resident Shane Sykes who peaked when it mattered most, Sykes opened up with a seven-point ride in the 25 minute final and was untouchable thereafter. Jarred Veldhuis of Kommetjie managed to string a pair of waves together in the increasingly testing conditions to finish second while Dylan Lightfoot and Slade Prestwich (Durban) finished third and fourth respectively.
Sykes (17) has been on top form throughout the year and finally put it together on a big stage, “My goal was to win one of these events this year and I pulled it off here in Vic Bay, the conditions really suited my surfing and I managed to get on the right waves which paid off. I can’t wait for this series next year,” said Sykes at the awards ceremony.
Event sponsors and co-ordinators Quiksilver were ecstatic with the series, “We are happy to end off the series with an event like this with good waves and insane surfing. This series has been so well received, it’s so good for South African surfing, the level of surfing has been amazing and we’re definitely looking to replicate this next year,” said Quiksilver marketing and sales manager, Dane Patterson.
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