South African shines in front of worlds biggest surfing audience.

Brys as he is know to many, dented a few ego’s in his run to the quarter finals, none more so than Jadson Andre – who smashed his board with fist, breaking it in frustration. Royden Bryson, a favourite son of South African surfing made his countrymen proud putting in a solid display of surfing to come out in 5th place at one of the worlds biggest events, the Nike US Open of Surfing. The East London born surfer, now residing in Cape Town, was in grand form for the event and stealthily took down many big name surfers on his way to the quarter finals. The biggest was the scalp of young Brazilian Jadson Andre, the 2007 world junior surfing champion. Bryson says it has been three years since has not requalified for the world tour and his performance in this event gives him the confidence he needs as he heads into the European leg of the World Qualify Series in New Quay, England. Kelly Slater went on to win the event on Sunday over Yadin Nicol (Aus) who defeated Bryson in their quarter-final match up. The final was a relatively one-sided affair with Nicol not getting any real scoring waves. According to Slater, Nicol opted to wait for the bigger sets, which ended up closing out. The 10 x world champion Slater, the greatest surfer of all time, didn’t make the same mistake. The official press release is below: SLATER AND FITZGIBBONS WIN NIKE US OPEN OF SURFING Kelly Slater winner of the US Open of Surfing 2011. HUNTINGTON BEACH, California / USA (Sunday, August 7, 2011) – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 20, was also victorious today when she clinched the final stop on the 2011 ASP Women’s World Title series, the Nike US Open of Surfing, when she topped dangerous wildcard Lakey Peterson (Santa Barbara, CA), 16, in a hard-fought battle. Slater quickly asserted his dominance in the Final against Nicol when he launched a frontside air-reverse and solidified the ride on the reform to earn an 8.50 and backed the ride up with a 7.77 to put the Australian in an early combination-situation and controlled the heat throughout the entirety of the bout. “I guess Yadin (Nicol) wanted me to win because he didn’t catch any waves,” Slater said. “I was just really frustrated for him because he was sitting out the back waiting for the big sets and the big sets were close outs. The small ones he was just two far outside and I got them. I think what happened is I got the 8.50 to start and he was just going to be patient. If he got a good one he would have thrown a big rotator, but it just never came.” Slater went on an absolute rampage on the final day of competition and fought his way back into a tough battle to overtake progressive Hawaiian Dusty Payne (Lahaina, HI), 22, by launching a hail-mary, no-grab backside 360 air. The massive punt garnered the highest single-wave score of Nike US Open of Surfing competition, 9.77 out of 10, as well as the highest heat-total of 17.94 out of 20. “Dusty (Payne) had priority and he had gone on a couple of lefts that kind of fizzled out on him and he was probably thinking that left was going to do the same thing his other ones did,” Slater said. “It just let me get going on the face enough and I just tried to rotate as hard as I could and somehow the board stuck to my feet.” Nicol fought hard throughout the entirety of the ASP PRIME competition, taking out dangerous South African Royden Bryson (ZAF), 28, and prodigious Californian Kolohe Andino (San Clemente, CA), 17, on the Final day of competition, but struggled to find a wave in the Final against Slater. “Kelly started off strong with the 8.5 and I thought I’d wait for a good wave and I think I waited too long,” Nicol said. “At the start of this week I wouldn’t have thought that I’d be in the Final with Kelly. I love it. Sometimes things work out and you make the Final and I’m stoked, I’m over the moon.” Yadin, who was rated No. 36 entering the US Open of Surfing, now sits at 27th on the ASP World Rankings, moving him inside the coveted ASP Top 32 midyear cut for the halfway mark of the year, but with two events remaining on the ASP World Title Season, Nicol remained guarded in claiming his spot for the final elite events. “There are still two World Tour events to go so it doesn’t completely change my life just yet,” Nicol said. “It definitely helps the vibe though.” Fitzgibbons, who finished second on the ASP Women’s World Title Series, was strong on both her forehand and backhand in the final and fought off the determined wildcard to clinch her third elite event on to finish her 2011 season. “It’s such an unbelievable feeling to get chaired up the beach,” Fitzgibbons said. “There is just a sea of people and it’s one of my biggest achievements. To get three wins this year, it has been a really special year and although I didn’t get the title, I can’t believe I’ve won this event.” Fitzgibbons feels that there is more to come for the highly-talked about progressive movement in women’s surfing and wildcards such as Lakey Peterson are a perfect example of the future of the sport. “Today was just about connecting the dots and stepping it up,” Fitzgibbons said. “I think the future is bright for our sport. Lakey (Peterson) is only 16 and she was in both finals in this event it was a great week for her, but to get the win was an amazing way to cap off the year.” Peterson proved to be a giant killer throughout the entirety of the Women’s Nike US Open of Surfing, taking wins over veteran Melanie Bartels (HAW), 28, ASP Women’s World Title Rookies Tyler Wright (AUS), 17, Courtney Conlogue (Santa Ana, CA), 17, and Laura Enever (AUS), 19, as well as freshly crowned ASP Women’s World Champion Carissa Moore but was unable to find the scores needed to surpass Fitzgibbons in the Final. “I’m stoked with the way this week has turned out,” Peterson said. “It was an honor to surf against Sally (Fitzgibbons) and I’m really happy to make the Final in my first World Tour event.” Peterson, who won the ASP 4-Star Nike US Open of Surfing Pro Junior yesterday, asserted herself as a frontrunner among the progressive movement of women’s surfing via dominant run at the Nike US Open of Surfing. The young Californian was the only competitor to put a stop to Moore’s run of finaling in every ASP Top 17 contest this season when she topped the Hawaiian in their Semifinals matchup. “Winning yesterday was what I wanted to do, to win in the Juniors and do well in this event,” Peterson said. “My heat against Carissa (Moore) felt like no pressure and I just wanted to go for it and I’m just so excited to win that heat. I’ve always wanted to surf against Carissa. She really pushes my surfing to the next level and is an amazing friend.” Highlights from the 2011 Nike US Open of surfing can be found at www.usopenofsurfing.com For media downloads log on to www.usopenofsurfing.com/downloads For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com The Nike US Open of Surfing was a massive action sports festival which also includes Skate, BMX, Art, Music and Fashion shows all of which are free to the public. Nike US Open of Surfing Men’s Final Result: 1 – Kelly Slater (USA) 16.27 2 – Yadin Nicol (AUS) 2.57 Nike US Open of Surfing Men’s Semifinals Results: SF 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.94 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 14.90 SF2: Yadin Nicol (AUS) 13.44 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 12.87 Nike US Open of Surfing Men’s Quarterfinals Results: QF 1: Dusty Payne (HAW) 13.93 def. Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 10.10 QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.50 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.27 QF 3: Kolohe Andino (USA) 10.44 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 10.33 QF 4: Yadin Nicol (AUS) 11.60 def. Royden Bryson (ZAF) 8.26 Nike US Open of Surfing Women’s Final Result: 1 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.23 2 – Lakey Peterson (USA) 12.40 Nike US Open of Surfing Women’s Semifinals Results: SF 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) 14.67 def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.60 SF 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.46 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 14.16 http://www.usopenofsurfing.com Dane Reynolds did not display any kind of injury which may have seen him miss out on J-Bay.

Jordy Smith makes history in Jeffreys Bay!

Jordy makes history on the road to making more history? Photo courtesy ASP

It all ended a few days ago, but history will forever remember Jordy Smith (24) as he became the first South African to win the prestigious Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay back to back and the second surfer to every achieve this. 10x world champion Kelly Slater has won the event four times, Joel Parkinson twice and  Jake Patterson and Smith are the only competitors to have defended their respective titles. The 2011 event went down to the wire, Jordy defended his title against Australian and 2x world champion Mick Fanning (30), in a hard-fought battle in average conditions.

Supertubes, Jeffreys Bay is acknowledged  as one of the world’s top 10 surf destinations and has been attracting surfers from all over the world for the past 40 years. The Billabong Pro event takes place at the spiritual home of the South African surfing, was started back in the early 80’s by Cheron Kraak. The aim was to give South African surfers a chance to compete against the worlds best at home, at a world-class wave and therefore inspire more world-class athletes. Surfers who would follow in the footsteps of legendary surfer, Shaun Tompson, South Africa’s first world surfing champion of 1977 and world surfing icon, who ushered in a new era of professional surfing with Australian surfers; Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew, Mark Richards and Ian Cairns.

Cheron, a well know figure in South African surfing, has most certainly seen the fruits of her labour. She has hosted many of the worlds best surfers at her home, right on the fabled point break and has watched Jordy grow up over the years. Cheron has been able to watch as South African surfers continue to make a presence on the world surfing stage. The event has grown year by year and attracts the worlds best surfers, it is now one of the worlds most prestigious surfing events.

The event ran as an ASP event for the 27th time and has been won by some of the biggest names in South African and world surfing

1981  Shaun Tomson (SA)    Beach Hotel Classic


1982  Greg Day (Aus)        Lightening Bolt/Country Feeling Surf Classic


1983  David Barr (USA)       Country Feeling Surf Classic


1984 Mark Occhilupo (Aus)     Country Feeling Surf Classic


1985 No event


1986 No event


1987 Grant Myrdal (SA)      Billabong/Country Feeling Surf Classic


1988 Mike Burness (SA)      Billabong/Country Feeling Surf Classic


1989 Justin Strong (SA)       Billabong/Country Feeling Surf Classic


1990 Marcus Brabant (Aus)    Billabong/Country Feeling Surf Classic


1991 Luke Egan (Aus)        Dream Sequence
1991 Pierre Tostee (SA)       Billabong/Country Feeling Surf Classic


1992 Seth Hulley (SA)        Billabong/Country Feeling Surf Classic


1993 Munga Barry (Aus)      Billabong/Country Feeling Surf Classic (WQS)


1994 Justin Strong (SA)       Billabong/Country Feeling Surf Classic (WQS)


1995 Seth Hulley (SA)        Billabong/Country Feeling Surf Classic (WQS)


1995  Kelly Slater (USA)        Billabong Challenge


1996  Shane Thorne (SA)      Billabong/Country Feeling Surf Classic (WQS) 


1996  Kelly Slater (USA)        CSI / Billabong Pro (WCT)


1997  Jevon Le Roux (SA)      Billabong/Country Feeling Surf Classic (WQS)


1998  Munga Barry (Aus)      Billabong /MSF Pro (WCT)


1999  Joel Parkinson (Aus)       Billabong /MSF Pro (WCT) 


2000  Jake Paterson (Aus)       Billabong /MSF Pro (WCT)


2001  Jake Paterson Aus)       Billabong Pro (WCT)


2002  Mick Fanning (Aus)       Billabong Pro (WCT)


2003  Kelly Slater (USA)        Billabong Pro (WCT)


2004  Andy Irons (Haw)       Billabong Pro (WCT)


2005  Kelly Slater (USA)        Billabong Pro (WCT)

2006 Mick Fanning (AUS)   Billabong Pro (WCT)

2007 Taj Burrow (AUS)      Billabong Pro (WCT)

2008 Kelly Slater (USA)  Billabong Pro (WCT)

2009 Joel Parkinson (AUS) Billabong Pro (WCT)

2010 Jordy Smith (SA) Billabong Pro (WCT)

2011 Jordy Smith (SA) Billabong Pro (WCT)

The most influential surfing contest in Africa!

Adam Robertson Mr Price Pro Ballito 2011 : Getting a pretty sick Ballito pit. © MrPrice/CESTARI

The Mr Price Pro Ballito 2011, the longest running professional surfing contest in the world has started and many of the world’s best surfers are currently competing for their share of the R1.7 million prize money.

The event, which has a long and established history, has contributed to the success of South African surfing by providing the platform and the worlds best surfers to compete against, therefore assisting in the development of surfing in the country and possibly world.

On reading through the history of the event on the website (http://www.mrpricepro.com), one learns that the Mr Price has been won by seven former world champions, namely; Miget Farley (Aus), Gavin Rudolph (Zaf), Shaun Tompson (Zaf), Mark Richards (Aus), Mark Occulipo (Aus), Damien Hardman (Aus) and Andy Irons (Haw)

This says much for the event and the many elite surfers that have graced the competitive waters of KwaZulu Natal, inspiring the youth of South African surfing.

For many reasons this year’s Mr Price Pro, has out done its self, it has achieved ‘Prime’ status offering massive prize money and also holds a unique surfing legends event where South Africa’s best surfers from the 1970’s will compete again in two teams. They will compete on replica single fins from the era that have been shaped by Spider Murphy and Mike Larmont. Five out of the six surfers are members of the 1972 South African national surfing team. This promises to be an extremely interesting and special event.

To read more about this event follow the link below.

http://www.aspworldtour.com/2011/06/28/snapshot-from-the-past-at-the-mr-price-pro-ballito/shaun_tomson_action_4_l/

To watch a short teaser of the event and the epic line up follow

Mr Price Pro Ballito 2011 TEASER

To read more on the history of the Mr Price Pro, follow the link below.

http://www.mrpricepro.com/History.aspx

Gathering the troops

Taghazout’s top surfing talents gathered in a small cafe on the sea front this morning to be the first to join a uniquely Africa surfing initiative, that not only promises to raise surfing performance in the region but have a ripple effect on surfing in Morocco.

The year long initiative will run until July 2012 when at least two youths from the Sous massa draa region will step on a plane destined for the greatest surfing nation in Africa and one of the best in the world, South Africa. The surfers will embark on an adventure of a lifetime where they will meet up with the world surfing champion and other elite surfers on the ASP World Tour. They will also surf and safari down the East coast of South Africa going through the rural African homelands and gaining access into the best game reserves in the region to view the the big five. It won’t be all play for the surfers as the project is being filmed for a documentary and surf movie.
So the rookies will partake in paparazzi style shoots for magazines and films for a sort of introspective endless Africa summer.

The project ‘Rising Al-Maghreb: An African surf story’ is an initiative that hopes to unify African surfing and raise the standard of surfing in Morocco. It aims to guide the youth of the region using the wealth of experience that South Africa surfers have acquired over the nearly 100 years of surfing in the country. Through skills sharing, training program’s, coaching clinic’s and advice the surfers will be mentored on a path to professionalism and shown what it takes to be a disciplined and hard working professional athlete. As they rub shoulders with the best in the business, they will hopefully gain the self belief successful athletes need to reach the top.

This once in a life time opportunity presents its self to the surfing youth between Immousane and Sidi Ifni in southern Morocco, also know as the Sous massa draa region
and it will take a few weeks to work through the region and open up the opportunity to all children. The initiative has been launched in Taghazout but there is still more work to be done, next stops will be Tamracht, Ourir (Banana Village), Tamanzawana and Agadir. Organiser’s are optimistic that all the preparation can be done before the holy month of  Ramadan, there after in September the program will commence in full force.

As the months go on, fitness increasing and technique fine tuned, the competitive rounds will begin to separate the future stars from the rest. The gigantic journey is still along way away but their eyes have been opened and the dreaming has begun.

The project begins

We have started a surfing development project in Morocco, which will become a documentary work about promoting a better surfing future, where people in Africa work together in unity for a common goal, for a greater good, irrespective of religion, colour or creed. Maghreb in Arabic means West or the place of the setting sun and Al-Maghreb is the Arabic term for Morocco. The title ‘Rising Al-Maghreb’ shows my belief in the talent and potential opportunities we see for young Moroccan surfers.