TWO Durban North residents will join the world’s best longboard surfers at the ISA World Longboard Championship on Hainan Island in Wanning China which begins later this week. Sam Christianson and Christy Gilmour are part of a four-man South African team to compete at the famed left point of Riyue Bay.
For Christianson, the world champs represents a number of firsts in his fledgling career.
“This is my first international contest and my first South African call-up. When I won the SA longboard champs U16 title my goal was to one day make the South African team for the world champs and it’s a dream come true for me. Without sounding cliché, I’m super stoked. I think it only sunk in when we received our Protea blazers,” the 19-year-old said.
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Christianson was selected for the national team by winning the SA Open Longboard trials at Long Beach, Cape Town, last year. He added he was looking forward to the world champs despite some nervous excitement.
“With any competition, I don’t like to put too much pressure on myself, whenever I work myself up about a contest I start freaking out. I’m going to approach the world champs like I’m out surfing for fun. I think I’ll be more relaxed taking that approach. It’s great to have another KZN representative like Christy being around so that will be awesome,” he said.
For Danville Park Girls’ High School learner, Christy Gilmour, the competition is a history making one for her.
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In May last year, Christy, then 16, was crowned the South African Longboard Surfing champion after becoming the youngest woman surfer to win the open women’s division of the championship in 27 years.
“I’m really excited because I look up to so many of the competitors at the world champs. I’ve spent my life wanting to be like them and now to be surfing against them is slightly nerve-wracking but also a challenge for me. With this being my first international call-up, my goal is not get knocked out in the earliest round. I would love to challenge myself and see how far I can go. Last year’s world champs was won by a teenager from Australia, so who knows,” she said.
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