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The Cape Peninsula will play host to the first event on the Surfing South Africa (SSA) Pro Surf Tour (PST) this year when the Mr Price WP Open takes place somewhere in the Southern Peninsula this Saturday and Sunday.
With R30,000 in prize-money on offer to surfers in the 3A Men’s, 2A Women’s and 2A Pro Junior divisions, as well as precious PST ratings points, more than 65 surfers from all parts of the country will be in action.
Included in the entry list is nine time ASP World Tour competitor Greg Emslie who has made it clear that he wants to win this year's local Pro Surf Tour now that he is competing on the domestic circuit once again. The 33-year-old East London surfer, who retired from the World Tour at the end of 2009, will be looking to kick-off his 2010 campaign on the right note at this weekend’s Mr Price WP Open..
“I am so excited about the PST this year and especially this first one, because all the competitors will be hoping to get off to a good start.” Emslie said. “I would love to win the Tour and it would be a great accomplishment as there are extremely talented surfers that have entered the event. Bring on the PST and let’s get surfing in South Africa highly competitive again.”
Emslie said all the ingredients were in place there for a highly competitive event, and paid tribute to Mr Price who will also present the Mr Price SA Open as well as the Mr Price Surf Classic later in the year. These events along with the WP Open make up the unique Mr Price Tri-Star series which offers a further R5000 in prize-money to the overall winner.
“Mr Price has three events on the schedule and has given the PST an awesome facelift, making it attractive for other sponsors to join,” Emslie added. “The surfers now have a real local tour and they can really fight it out amongst themselves for the title.”
Surfers who will be pushing Emslie all the way this weekend include 2009 PST Champion and Team Red teammate Gary Van Wieringen, former champion Matt Kruger, East London surfers Devyn Mattheys and Wayne Monk, Western Province star Matt Bromley, current ASP World Qualifying Series campaigner Rudy Palmboom of the Bluff and previous WQS surfer Warwick Wright, who has taken up residence in Cape Town.
Chris Leppan of Umhlanga and the Payne brothers, Shaun and Ryan, who spend their days surfing Jeffreys Bay are others who could make their mark, as are Llewellyn Whittaker of Mossel Bay, South Peninsula local Ian Armstrong and Donovan Zoetmulder of Port Elizabeth.
Meanwhile, in the women’s draw for this weekend’s WP Open, an intense battle is sure to develop between Tammy Lee-Smith of Ballito, SA U20 champion Bianca Buitendag, Kommetjie locals Tanika Hoffman and Holly Armstrong, Alice Mc Gregor of East London and Tasha Mentasti as well as the highly-rated Sarah Baum and fellow Durban surfers Heidi Palmboom and Michelle Imeson.
The strong Pro Junior (U20) field is headed by Matt Bromley and Mikey February, who finished first and second respectively last year. Fellow Kommetjie surfer David Brand, Jaco Steyn of Melkbos, Papi Makinyane of Muizenberg, Shawn Dennis of Durban and Beyrick de Vries from Umhlanga, who was the runner-up in last year’s PST U20 division and a finalist at the recent ISA World Junior Championships, are all capable of pocketing the title come Sunday.
All contestants are to meet at Long Beach in Kommetjie at 7.30am on Saturday where the venue for the first day of surfing will be decided. The venue will be available from the WP Info line at 08 22 33 4001 from 8.30am. The heats will be available on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za and all daily results as well as the final results, photos and press releases will be posted on this site.
The Mr Price WP Open, the Mr Price SA Open in East London and the Mr Price Classic in KZN, which make up the Tri-Star series will all be televised for Mr Price and Surfing South Africa on the Vuzu Channel on DSTV courtesy of a grant from the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDTF).
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