Surf’s up in uMhlanga
The three-part series got underway in March at Cape Town’s Long Beach and was welcomed by top South African surfers in attendance.
THE second event of the national Quiksilver Get Free Series is set to take place at uMhlanga Rocks later this month. South Africa’s best professional surfers will be making their way to Bronze Beach to compete in this Surfing South Africa Pro Surf Tour event, which caters for open men, U20 junior boys and U16 boys surfers. The event will run over the weekend of May 30 and 31.
This three-part series got underway in March at Cape Town’s Long Beach and was welcomed by top South African surfers in attendance. Over 90 of South Africa’s best did battle in the cold Cape waters for their share of over R40 000 in prize money and prizes. Event organisers are expecting a similar number of entries for the second leg of the series at Umhlanga Rocks.
“The Get Free Series has been very well received by the surfers and the various communities. There are very few surf events on the calendar these days so the guys are really excited about this opportunity. We are hoping for some good, solid surf – which is likely, especially at this time of the year. We are looking forward to a great event at the end of the month,” said Quiksilver’s marketing manager, Dane Patterson.
Local standout, Beyrick de Vries, is a clear favourite to take the open men’s title in KZN. De Vries won two out of the three Quiksilver events in the same series last year.
“I am really excited that the guys at Quiksilver decided to have one of these events at my home break. I have been travelling a lot this year so it will be nice to compete in an event on my doorstep,” said de Vries.
Other favourites looking to take home top honours include Capetonian Michael February, who recently placed second in the WSL Martinique Pro in the Caribbean, as well as Dylan Lightfoot from Jeffreys Bay and Durban North’s David van Zyl, who have proven to be top contenders in all surf conditions.
In the U20 boys’ division, all eyes will be on Salt Rock’s Shane Sykes. The eighteen-year-old has grown from strength to strength in his competitive career and will be a firm favourite in the KZN waters. Sykes recently graced the cover of Zigzag Surfing Magazine’s May edition. Other top juniors include current SA junior champion. Michael Monk from East London. and Matt McGillivray from Jeffreys Bay. who put on a fine exhibition of surfing to win the first event of the series this year.
The competition will get underway at 8am on Saturday. The third and final event of the series will take place in Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape on August 29 and 30.
Quiksilver Get Free Series is set to take place at uMhlanga Rocks later this month. South Africa’s best professional surfers will be making their way to Bronze Beach to compete in this Surfing South Africa Pro Surf Tour event, which caters for open men, U20 junior boys and U16 boys surfers.
The event will run over the weekend of May 30 and 31.
This three-part series got underway in March at Cape Town’s Long Beach and was welcomed by top South African surfers in attendance. Over 90 of South Africa’s best did battle in the cold Cape waters for their share of over R40 000 in prize money and prizes. Event organisers are expecting a similar number of entries for the second leg of the series at Umhlanga Rocks.
“The Get Free Series has been very well received by the surfers and the various communities. There are very few surf events on the calendar these days so the guys are really excited about this opportunity. We are hoping for some good, solid surf – which is likely, especially at this time of the year. We are looking forward to a great event at the end of the month,” said Quiksilver’s marketing manager, Dane Patterson.
Local standout, Beyrick de Vries, is a clear favourite to take the open men’s title in KZN. De Vries won two out of the three Quiksilver events in the same series last year.
“I am really excited that the guys at Quiksilver decided to have one of these events at my home break. I have been travelling a lot this year so it will be nice to compete in an event on my doorstep,” said de Vries.
Other favourites looking to take home top honours include Capetonian Michael February, who recently placed second in the WSL Martinique Pro in the Caribbean, as well as Dylan Lightfoot from Jeffreys Bay and Durban North’s David van Zyl, who have proven to be top contenders in all surf conditions.
The competition will get underway at 8am on Saturday. The third and final event of the series will take place in Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape on August 29 and 30.
