Early sixties Cape slang for boardshorts. Usage: I was riding in the ‘frommel’ in my Skitools. Translation: I was riding the foam in my boardshorts
By: Pat Flanagan, Cape Town
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June 3, 2010SKITOOLSApril 11, 2010GATLiterally translated into english as ‘hole’ or ‘cave’ – GAT is mainly used as a rude Afrikaans word for bum hole. The G is pronounced with a scraping rasp – like you clearing your throat. Used by surfers to describe an especially hollow wave or barrel. By Admin April 10, 2010BAKER, GRANT (Twiggy)Twiggy has emerged as the most successful big wave surfer South Africa has ever produced. At the 2008 South African Surfing Awards ‘Twiggy’ won the award for ‘Surfer Of the Year’, a fitting tribute to a surfer that has quickly become an icon of world surfing. Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker rise to prominence in the arena of big-wave surfing was sudden, relatively speaking. He snuck into the 2006 Mavericks Surf Contest via a public voting system, and went on to win in perfect 25-foot surf. Another day of 25-foot surf at Dungeon Reef in Cape Town saw Twiggy emerge victorious again at the 2008 Red Bull Big Wave Africa. To cap it off he was invited to go and surf in the Quiksilver Ceremonial Punta de Lobos big wave contest in Chile, contested at a thick, endless roping lefthander, and went on to win that one too. By Craig Jarvis, St Francis, Eastern Cape POTTER, MARTIN (Pottz)Martin Potter nicknamed ‘Pottz’ was born on October 28, 1965 in England. At the age of 2 he moved with his family to Durban and started surfing when he was 10 years old. At 15 Pottz entered and won the National Scholastic Surfing Association International Team Challenge, beating future three time world champion, Tom Curren, in the final. A few weeks later he entered a local pro surfing event in Durban winning it by defeating former World Champion Shaun Tomson into second place. A week later, still aged 15 mind you, he entered the Gunston 500 and surfing a 5′6″ Twinnie, he placed second in what was his first world tour event. Another week later and he entered the Mainstay Magnum, another world tour event, and again placed second for a debut into professional surfing that has never been repeated. At 18 years old, Pottz went on to immigrate to Australia (and compete under a British Passport). The South African Defense Force had his name down for conscription. In 1989 he went on to win the world surfing Title by the largest points margin of all time in this stage of the game. His win was spurred on by Dereck Hynd, who gave him ‘no chance’ for a world title that year. Pottz is renowned for inventing, tweaking and in many cases perfecting the aerial move. He was the first professional surfer to be consistently boosting himself above the lip line of a wave, landing with momentum, and carrying on riding the wave. his surfing was hard, fast, dynamic, and he absolutely excelled in the powerful waves of Hawaii. ***After his Title he led a call for a judging format based on ‘risky surfing’ i.e. higher scores for more critical moves. This eventually became an accepted judging standard and has been given greater emphasis on the World Championship Tour in 2010. By Craig Jarvis, St Francis, Eastern Cape SMITH, JORDYJordy Smith is South Africa’s most prolific surfer and is considered the biggest thing in SA surfing since Shaun Tompson. At 90 kilograms and over 6-foot tall he is a surfer with freakish abilities. His surfing is characterised as powerful, stylish and progressive, blending futuristic maneuvers with the flow of traditional rail surfing. Jordy was born in Durban, on the 11th of February, 1988, to his mother Luellen and father Graham. He started surfing under the supervision of his father at the age of 4, but was stroking into his own waves at around 6 years old. From the very beginning Jordy dominated his competitive divisions. He first made international news after taking out the U16 ISA World Junior World Title in 2003. 2006, at 18-years old, while completing his Matric at Greenwood High School, he took a giant stride forward finishing 3rd in the Billabong Pro J-Bay as a Wildcard. Later that year he went on to win the ISA Mens World Title at Huntington Beach. In 2007, now a Matriculant, Smith won surfing’s World Qualifying Series, qualifying for the elite World Tour by the highest margin ever. Not only is Jordy considered a fierce competitor, he is also considered one of the worlds most futuristic surfers. In 2009 Jordy gave the world a look at his progressive surfing capabilities by executing a perfect Rodeo Flip (inverted aerial 360 reverse-spin) while free surfing in Indonesia. The move is considered the best ever captured on video. There is great expectation on Jordy both in South Africa and internationally. ‘It is not a matter of IF but WHEN Jordy will be world champion,’ said 1998 World Champion, Martin Potter, at the 2009 South African Surfing Awards. April 8, 2010VETCHIES REEFOn the far south end of Durban’s Golden Mile is Vetchies Pier, or Vetchies Reef. It is a fickle but perfect underwater man-made point that delivers LONG tubing rights. It breaks over a razor sharp sunken harbor wall and is extremely challenging as the waves surge fast out of 10 to 20 meter deep water and offloads onto a dead, pylon re-enforced, reef – only feet or sometimes inches below. Mostly ridden at Spring high tide due to bits of the reef being exposed most other times. Vetchies lies in in the shadow of Durban’s harbour wall and thus is sheltered by the prevailing southerly swells. Only gets perfect about three or four times a year on the biggest southerly swells or during cyclone season. As a rule of thumb, when the piers are breaking at 8 feet on a south swell, Vetchies Reef is only about 2 foot. There are two sections that you can surf, ‘the Block’ and ‘Urchin Rock’, which can combine (when it is over 4-feet) into one incredibly long freighting ride of over 400 meters. By Clavicus Bradley – Morning Side, Durban. VRAAT, VRAATINGA ‘Vraat’ is used to describe someone who deliberately paddles onto the inside and snakes the next wave, instead of getting in line and waiting their turn. Often happens in crowded lineups when everyone is scrambling for any wave going, but is completely frowned upon at uncrowded spots where there is no excuse for Vraaters or Vraating. By Clavicus Bradley – Morning Side, Durban. WHITMORE, JOHN(1929 – 2001) AKA ‘The Oom’ commonly regarded as the godfather of South African surfing. Born and bred in the cape, Whitmore started surfing on a corrugated iron canoe in the 1940’s. Acknowledged as the first builder and shaper of foam blanks in SA, making his first polystyrene-blank board and riding it around Kommetjie in 1954. Was soon distributing his blanks around the country, delivering them in his VW buggy. Discovered and pioneered numerous surf spots on his trips between Cape Town and Durban, including the reefs in Mossel Bay, waves around East London, and later places like Elands Bay up the West coast. Manager of the Springbok team to San Diego in 1966. Started building Hobie Cats in 1971, and was renowned for doing Cape surf reports on Radio Good Hope – from his toilet, ‘The quietest place in his house’* *Surfing in South Africa by Mark Jury November 19, 2009SHARTHalfway between a fart and a number two, usually happens when the waves are kraaking at Paranoia’s and often ends up with a skidmark. Problematic when you are in the lineup and not quite sure which of the two it was. Also known as ‘following through’.
- Submitted by Doug Taylor, Plettenberg Bay PARANOIA POINTBig wave spot near Koel Bay, only breaks on a very big swell and is called as such because the paddle out is hectic around huge pinnacle rocks (as is the paddle in). Gnarly takeoff, with a large full stop rock about halfway down the line and the ever-present feeling of large fish in the area. Hence the feeling of non-stop paranoia when you are out there. - Submitted by Doug Taylor, Plettenberg Bay |
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