A combined Border team posted a huge 48,554 team score, the highest score in 15 years to blow their provincial opponents away and win the 35 year old President’s Cup, for only the third time in the 41 year history of the event.
The 2007 SA Championships was held in perfect 4-6 foot offshore surf over four days, and included a Technical Officials Seminar presented by ISA Head Judge and SSA Operations Manager Cyril Nel, and was supported by a grant from the National Lottery.
A never-say-die performance by Southern KZN saw them finish second for the second time with 35,504 points, while defending champions Western Province accumulated 32,982 to finish third.
KZN, who have won the Presidents Cup 28 times, only managed to score 28,312 to match their fourth place of 2006, while Boland had their best SA Championship result ever, finishing fifth on 27,672.
Zululand ended sixth on 26,590 points, Eastern Province posted 23,340 points to end seventh and Southern Cape were eighth on 21,004 points.
The Women’s Open title went to Sarah Maritz of Southern KwaZulu Natal, who placed second in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
The 2006 Surfing South Africa Pro Surf Tour champion made sure the title was hers this time, when she scored massive 17,60 points out of a possible 20.
Maritz’s score which was just too good for team-mate and former World Championship Tour surfer Heather Clark who, despite posting 14,50, had to settle for second place.
Tammy Robarts with 10,50 was third ahead of her twin sister and Boland team mate, Penny who was the defending champion in this division.
A stoked Chantelle Rautenbach of Boland won the South African Under 20 Girls title after posting 14,50 points to her team mate Caylin de Reuck’s 8,10, while pre-contest favourite Nikita Robb of Border was third with 7,10, and Tarryn Chudleigh of Western Province was fourth with 6,40 points.
Rautenbach, Robb and Chudleigh recently represented South Africa in the ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in Portugal.
The SA Championships, which this year was unable to attract a sponsor, is the longest running surfing event in Africa and one of the longest running contests in the World.
Steeped in tradition it features over 150 surfers competing for the prestigious President’s Cup as well as for individual honours in the Men’s, Women’s, Under 20 Boys and Under 20 Girls Divisions.
Held in a different province each year, the championships take four days to complete and while there is no prize-money on offer the chance to become one of the four National champions is priceless.
The 2007 SA Surfing Championships were presented and produced by Surfing South Africa and hosted by Border Surfriders Association.
Championship Results:
Presidents Cup:
1. Border 48,554
2. Southern KwaZulu Natal 35,504
3. Western Province 32,982
4. KwaZulu Natal 28,312
5. Boland 27,672
6. Zululand 26,590
7. Eastern Province 23,340
8. Southern Cape 21,004
Open Women:
1. Sarah Maritz (Southern KwaZulu Natal)
2. Heather Clark (Southern KwaZulu Natal)
3. Tammy Robarts (Boland)
4. Penny Robarts (Boland)
Under 20 Girls:
1. Chantelle Rautenbach (Boland)
2. Caylin de Reuk (Boland)
3. Nikita Robb (Border)
4. Tarryn Chudleigh (Western Province)
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