THE South African bodyboarding championships will be held in Richards Bay in October, with more than a hundred of the country’s top campaigners descending on Alkantstrand.
This will be the third time that Richards Bay hosts the event, the last time being in 2008 when local rider Mark McCarthy won his first national title.
McCarthy, who will be representing team Northern KZN, will be hoping for another title in the elite Pro Division, but will be coming up against some formidable competition in ISA World Champs gold and silver medalist and former SA champion Tristan Roberts, the consistent and talented Iain Campbell from Central KZN and of course current SA champion Stephen du Preez, also from Central KZN.
There will also be stiff competition from Reinhard du Toit, a previous national championship finalist with local knowledge.
The event will also see action in juniors, boys, girls, ladies, masters, grand masters and drop knee divisions, and the Northern KZN team hopes to fill all the team positions in the next few months with both experienced and up-and-coming riders from Ballito in the south to St Lucia in the north.
Team positions will be determined by five trial contests to be held in Ballito and Richards Bay.
The first trial will take place in Richards Bay on 22 February. Contestants will be required to pay an affiliation fee of R100 and then a entry fee per trial of R50.
There will also be a free bodyboarding clinic arranged for the first trial.
The trials are open to all and families and friends are urged to come along for support and to enjoy a day on the beach.
For more information contact Nick on 078 4172790. Pick up an entry form from surfalliance.co.za or NorthCore Surf and Skate.
Trial Dates
Trial 1: Richards Bay – 22 February
Trial 2: Ballito – 8 March
Trial 3: Richards Bay – 22 March
Trial 4: Ballito – 17 May
Trial 5: Richards Bay – 31 May.
