Following four months of competition, Dayni Sanderson has been chosen as the winner of Miss Zag 2014.
Dayni up the weskus for our Miss Zag 2014 calendar shoot.
The surf-stoked Kommetjie local was voted the winner after a weekend away with the TOP 6, who all took part in the Miss Zag calendar shoot up the Cape weskus recently.
“I’m going to have to practice getting barrelled more,” remarked an excited Dayni after we broke the news to her on Monday. She was of course talking about the trip for two to Bali that she had just won as part of her Miss Zag prize. “I was going through the Zag earlier this year and saw that the prize for Miss Zag was a trip to Bali, and that was all the motivation I needed to enter.”
Dayni submitted some great photos to her Miss Zag portfolio.
As well as the all-expenses paid trip for two to Bali sponsored by All Aboard Travel and Student Flights, Dayni also wins R20 000 spending money from Australian Gold, a new wardrobe by Rip Curl and Reef Brazil, and a custom surfboard from Clayton as part of her prize.
Once we’d managed to calm Dayni down after calling her with the good news, we had a quick chat to get her thoughts on the win. Check out the interview below, or click here to see the Miss Zag calendar shoot and video.
When she’s not at Stellies studying, you’ll find Dayni at the beach searching for waves.
ZIGZAG: Congratulations Dayni, so it’s going to be your first time going to Bali?
DAYNI: I’ve been dreaming of going to Bali for so many years, just pouring over images of barrels and palm trees in the Zag. It’s so surreal that it’s actually happening. My main thoughts right now are that I’ve never flown anywhere, so I hope I get a window seat. I’m also wondering what surfing in a bikini is going to be like and if it’s going to stay on properly.
Your boyfriend Deen has probably already called ‘dibs’ on your ‘plus one’ to Bali?
Yes! (Laughs) He has invited himself but he has been there three times already, so he needs to convince me to take him. Maybe by filming me when it’s cooking and by letting me drop-in on his waves whenever I want.
Dayni put a lot of effort in to her Miss Zag portfolio, and it paid of with a win.
And did you have any modelling experience prior to Miss Zag?
I’ve done a few shoots and I go to the occasional casting, although I definitely don’t consider myself a model. Being in front of the camera is a lot of fun and I really enjoy it, especially shooting in a bikini for beach style stuff. I’d like to do more shoots in the future for sure.
And getting your Miss Zag portfolio together. How did you go about that?
Most of the pics were just me messing around in Kommetjie with my friend, but some were with photographers who helped me get some professional shots together. The shoots were all super relaxed and the pics are really true to me and my lifestyle, which I thought was really important for this contest.
And the final calendar shoot, was that fun?
It was the wildest weekend of shooting. Six amazingly sexy girls, two guys from Zag, and a crew consisting of a stylist, makeup artist and photographer made for a rad combination of personalities. Not to mention the luxury house on the beach and the beautiful location. We couldn’t have had more of a good time!
Dayni and the rest of the Top 6 had plenty of fun at the 2014 Miss Zag calendar shoot.
ZIGZAG: Let’s talk about your surfing skills. We’ve seen you shredding at your local.
I started surfing when I was about 12 and I’ve been in the water nearly every day since. I used to do a lot of comps when I was younger and I still do a few now and then. This year I made the Western Province team and I went to SA Champs. I also won the Women’s division at the Inter-Varsity champs in some big conditions at Betties Bay. Lately I’ve been trying to push myself a little more by going to different spots, heavier spots like the Reef or the Hoek – especially in the summer when the European tourists are doing interpretive dances on their longboards and riding over people at Long Beach. The crowds can get a bit scary, so I’ve been looking for waves elsewhere. I love pushing myself even if it means going over the falls or getting a little worked. One of the best trips this year was going to J-Bay in March and scoring Supers really big and relatively uncrowded, so I got a few proper sized waves out there. I couldn’t stop talking about it for days after!
Dayni, full speed ahead at Supertubes.
As Zag’s new Queen of the Beach, do you have any shout-outs for your supporters?
Thanks to my parents for having me, and especially to my dad for insisting that I start surfing. Cheers to Claire Butler for taking some amazing photos for my portfolio. My best friends Raylin and Amy for loving the beach as much as I do, and Deen Hill for always knowing the forecast on Windguru so I don’t need to check. Lastly, thanks to all the sponsors and especially Zigzag for putting this experience together. It’s hands down the best thing that has ever happened to me and I feel like the luckiest girl alive right now!
