The South African surfing team leaves for Santa Catalina in Panama today, to join approximately 150 surfers from over 25 nations in the 2013 ISA World Surfing Games, from Saturday 4 May 4 (with the ceremonial Parade of Nations) to the finals on Sunday, 12 May.
The team features is Tanika Hoffman (Cape Town) – the only surfer in the South African team who has competed in a previous World Games, in Panama in 2011, and new cap Faye Zoetmulder (Cape St Francis), and is captained by the team’s most experienced international surfer, Shaun Joubert from Mossel Bay.
The team selected to represent South Africa this year are made up of talented young surfers with recent international experience, and although the average age of the side is just 22, much is expected of them.
In 2011 Australia beat Brazil to take the World Team title while South Africa finished in 7th place overall.
Regarded as the “Olympics of Surfing”, the ISA World Surfing Games is a competition for teams of four Men and two Women who compete for the title of World Team Champions as well as individual honours.
The SA Team members were handed their colours by newly crowned ISA World Masters Champion Greg Emslie at a ceremony in Jeffreys Bay last Saturday. The team has been provided with kit by RVCA.
Surfing South Africa is the recognized governing body for the sport in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA)
(With editing by gsport)