South Africa’s multiple world champ team, the SA Masters, urgently need your help to get to the ISA World Games this year.
Read the story below and if you have any coin to spare, no matter if it’s big or small, it will be hugely appreciated to back our winning team.
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South Africa as a nation have a rich sporting tradition. We froth out on the chance to display our prowess over our competitors, in any discipline, and in the SA Masters Surfing Team we have an assembled crew that are proven world beaters – South Africa have produced seven world champions and two team gold medals in the five out of six years we have attended the ISA World Masters Champs.
Team SA have once again been invited to take on the world’s best Over-35 surfers and solidify their dominance of this competition. The problem, however, is that our Masters team might not get a chance to compete as funding has been in short supply – the same reason they missed last year’s World Masters in Nicaragua and had to watch as Team Hawaii lifted the trophy without a challenge.
Our Masters of Surf are not willing to let that happen again, and have been hard at work trying to gather their own funding to ensure that they make it to Uruguay and do us proud. It’s also why they are humbly asking for the South African surfing community’s help…
Invest in Team SA by following this link, where you’ll be taken to a Payfast account specifically set up for the SA Masters Surfing team. All payments are fully secured and easy, and the SA Masters have some rad prizes up for grabs in a random draw for all investors.
Masters team member Heather Clark smashes the lip on her way to clinching her second Gold Medal in El Salvador in 2010.
Although investments of any amount are welcomed, investments of R1000 and above automatically receive a one year’s Zag subscription for the investor, as well as a chance to win one of a collection of sick prizes that include:
• A weekend stay for 4 people in the log cabins at the MacNicols Caravan Park situated in Bazley Beach on the KZN South Coast.
• One of two 2-night stays for two at the Coffee Shack in Coffee Bay, Transkei (breakfast & dinner included).
• One of two copies of THE REEF – a book by Glenn Hollands that details the history of surfing in East London.
• Plus loads more – the Masters are still busy arranging a host of prizes which will be added to the draw…
Chris Knutsen atop the podium for his first World Masters Crown in Puerto Rico, while his fierce rival Javier Huarcaya (left) has to settle for second.
Zag spoke to SA Masters team member Chris Knutsen this morning, who is frothing to add a fourth World Masters title to his collection of gold medals won in Peru, Panama and Puerto Rico, and he shared his feelings on why he wants to make sure he gets to compete.
“I’ve beaten him to the title twice now…” explained Chris about his fierce competitor, Peruvian Javier Huarcaya. “But we (team SA) didn’t go to the champs in Nicaragua and he won the title last year. So I sent him an e-mail to congratulate him on the win, along with a friendly reminder that he’s lucky that Team SA were not there…”
“When I didn’t receive a reply, I was surprised, but that has just fueled me to get to the World Champs this year and kick his butt – I’ve been training four days a week and am actually shaking with energy I am so fit.” continued Chris.
The rest of the SA Masters Surfing Team are also in fighting shape and ready for battle, with the likes of Dave Malherbe tackling the hills around his home in Coffee Bay on his mountain bike, Carl Roux hitting the gym three times a week and Wayne Monk putting in more surf hours than all the Slummies groms combined.
So the team is looking good to bring back another gold, but unless we (the Saffa surfing community) can come up with enough investment to ensure that they make it there, then it could be another case of “what if?”…
Together we can bring that title back home where it belongs…
…and dance around and boast!
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ABOUT THE SA MASTERS SURFING TEAM:
Of the five times South Africa has competed at the ISA World Masters Champs, they’ve brought home two overall Team Gold Medals, as well as seven individual Gold Medals over various age divisions. They’re looking to add to this tally by taking part in the 2013 ISA World Masters Champs set to take place in Ecuador in March
PAST HIGHLIGHTS:
2010 – PANAMA
Bronze Medal – Overall Team Standings
Masters World Champion – Andrew Banks
Grand Kahunas World Champion – Chris Knutsen
Masters Womens World Champion – Heather Clark
2008 – PERU
Gold Medal – Overall Team Standings
Kahunas World Champion – Marc Wright
Grand Kahunas World Champion – Chris Knutsen
Masters Womens World Champion – Heather Clark.
2007 – PUERTO RICO
Gold Medal – Overall Team Standings
Kahunas World Champion – Chris Knutsen
TEAM SA set to compete in the 2013 ISA World Masters Champs is:
HEATHER CLARK
7 x SA Ladies Surfing Champion
2 x World Masters Womens Surfing Champion 2008 & 2010 (Runner up in 2011)
World Tour Campaigner for 7 years – Highest Ranking of 3rd
13 Years competing on the WQS, with numerous victories and final placings.
Winner of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, Hawaii. 2003.
Numerous Surfing South Africa event titles.
CHRIS KNUTSEN
4 x SA Open Champion
11 x SA Caps
5 x SA Grand Kahuna Champ
5 x KZN Natal Grand Kahuna Champ
3 x Gold Medals and 1 Silver Medal – ISA World Masters Championships.
DAVID MAHERBE
1 x SA Open Champ (1986)
SA University Champ (1984)
2 x European Pro/Am Champ (1990 & 1992)
ASP World Pro/Am Champ (1990)
10 x SA Grand Masters & Kahunas titles
2 x 3rd Place ISA World Masters – Kahunas division (2011 & 2010)
ANDRE MALHERBE
Multiple SA Masters Champ
3 x World Masters finalist
Multiple SA Team Caps
WAYNE MONK
U/14 SA Champ + SA Schools Champ 1994
Open SA Champ 1989, 1991
Masters SA Champ 1998, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2008
SA Open Team: 1989, 1990, 1992, 2000
SA Masters Team 2010
Mr Price SA Open Champion 2009
CARL ROUX
SA Open Champ 1990
World Open Champs 2nd 1992
ASP Africa Champ 1993
SA Open Team – 87, 89, 91, 92, 96
SA Masters Team 2009
GREG EMSLIE
World Tour Campaigner for 9 years + 5 years WQS
5 ASP WQS victories
Multiple SA Open Caps
3 x SA Open Champion
Current SA Masters Champion
GARY VAN WIERINGEN
SA Masters Champ 2011
PST Champ 2010
SA Masters Team 2009, 2011
3rd World Masters 2011
