Surf Series Winners Announced

The Kahuna Surf Series event for novices and future surf stars in the Western Cape crowned its first champions for 2007 when the finals of the twice postponed first event and the entire second event were run at Melkbosstrand on the weekend.

Solid one metre waves and stiff offshore winds greeted the finalists from the October event on Saturday morning and while the competitors in the finals for Under 10 to U16 for boys and girls relished the conditions, it was a tough baptism for the novices and youngsters in the second event later in the day.

The Morris family from St James produced a triple victory when Caitlin won the U16 girls, Alex the U14 girls, and Oli took the U12 boys final, posting a 6.0 point ride in the dying seconds to snatch the title from Pentz.

Despite several withdrawals as the rescheduling of the event had pushed it into the busy school exam period, there were 75 entries for the second event of the series which got underway as soon as the finals of the first event were completed.

With the swell holding out but the offshore wind rising to a velocity that forced the organisers to dismantle their judging and administration structures, the finals of the second event were completed on Sunday afternoon.

Louwrens opened her account with the highest scoring ride of the U16 girls final to clinch her first event victory ahead of Sabrina Scott (Glencairn), who had earlier taken the U14 girls’ title, and Melkbos local Anoush Zakarian won the U12 girls division.

The squad of eight surfers from the Micah Surf Club in Macassar, whose participation was sponsored by Puma Sports, acquitted themselves well in conditions that most were experiencing for the first time.

Tylah Terblanche and Tosca Wynand finished second and third respectively in the U12 girls and Tammy Wynand claimed fourth place in the U14 girls final.

A wind-swept presentation ceremony saw the finalists walk away with loads of prizes from many of South Africa’s top surf brands, and the scene is now set for the grand finale of 2007 Kahuna Surf Series in Kommetjie on the weekend 1-2 December where the 2007 series champions will be crowned.

The Kustom Awards for the best performance at the events went to Caitlin Morris and Grant Arendse for the first event, and to Roche Louwrens and Tristan Lev for event number 2.

The third annual Kahuna Surf Series is sanctioned by WP Surfing and generously sponsored by Reef Wetsuits, Von Zipper eyewear, Kustom footwear, Palmer’s surf wax and accessories, Zigzag surf magazine, Lifestyle Surf Shop, Atlantic Surf, DVG Surfboards, Fox, Lizzard, Surf Zone, Rusty and Billabong.

Further details on the KSS are available at the Kahuna Surf website, where the Entry Form can be downloaded. Entries close on the Thursday before each event or once a division is fully subscribed.