Stellar Performances For Vic Bay Grom Comp
Vic Bay saw a total grom take over this past weekend, the 1st – 2nd April, as the girls and boys lit up on some perfect Point walls, bringing the standard of surfing to a high level. The young athletes have an exciting year of competition ahead and are already working to exert their dominance and find their place in the top of the pack.
“It was good to see a junior competition back at the point in very contestable waves,” said Captain Kai. “I was particularly impressed with the level of surfing in the u/16 girls division and the u/14 boys division. The waves were cooking – I reckon it’s time for a WQS event in Vic Bay.”
Check out the gallery by Daniel Duval and the full press release below…
A very clear winner, Angelo Faulkner.
Wilderness local, Aya Gericke looking right at home.
Ryan Lightfoot looking as slick as his older brother, Dylan.
A visit from our mammalian sea friends.
York Van Jaarsveldt amped for his heat.
Luke Thompson goes vert.
An unidentified micro grom.
The contest officials spread out on the pier.
Saxton Randall smooth as butter.
Joshe Faulkner takes it to 1pm.
An unidentified surfer winds it back.
Angelo Faulkner busts the fins.
Bryce Du Preez navigates through the froth.
Michelle Hill tight in the pocket.
Luke Thompson wraps it back.
Promenade swag.
East London local, Tayla De Coning cuts back.
Wilderness local Taghiti Gericke.
Grom explosion.
Victoria Bay near George in the Eden District put its best foot forward for the 2017 Sea Harvest Vic Bay Gromcomp as surfers from all parts of South Africa got to compete in epic 4 to 6 foot surf over the two days of competition.
Contest officials made good use of Saturday’s surf and completed a marathon 30 heats which took over nine hours to complete. With surf predicted to in the 6 foot range for Day Two organizers completed the U10 Division final and Josh Malherbe of Coffee Bay took the honours ahead of Sergio Nogueira of Umhlanga, East London surfers Davey Emslie and Michael Russell came third and fourth.
Conditions on Day two of this SA Surf Tour event were in the 6 foot range as predicted and South Africa’s top juniors made the most of the epic conditions, providing photographers with some great photos and providing the solid crowd at Vic Bay with some high quality surfing.
Seven champions were decided on the second day of completion with the first of these being talented Kyra Bennie of Vredehoek whose first place in the U12 Division underlined why he was the top seed. River Gericke of Wilderness, a Vic Bay local who represented Eden District at the SA Grommet Games just ten days ago, took second place ahead of a Buffalo City Grommet Games surfer, Joel Fowles. Fowles, who hails from East London pushed Wulf Erhardt of Mossel Bay into fourth place.
Rising star, Kayla Nogueira of Umhlanga added another two titles to her growing list of achievements when she won both the U14 and U16 Girls titles at the Sea Harvest Vic Bay Gromcomp. In the U14 Final Nogueira beat East London girls Lhea Johnston and Aimee du Preez into second and third place respectively with Jesse Powell of Margate taking fourth spot.
East London’s Mitch du Preez won gold in the U14 Boys division beating Durban surfers Nate Spalding and Luke Thompson into second and third respectively. Kye MacGregor of Port Alfred was fourth.
Angelo Faulkner of Jeffreys Bay was a standout throughout the event and sealed his dominance with a win in the U16 Boys Final ahead of fellow J Bay surfer Ryan Lightfoot. East London boys Thomas Lindhorst and Mitch du Preez were third and fourth.
Hard charging Nahoon Reef local, Danica Stockigt took the win in the U18 Girls division. Taghiti Gericke matched her brother River’s second place in the U12 final by taking silver behind Stockigt while Nina Harmse of Herolds Bay came third ahead of Olivia Izzard.
Two time SA Junior Team member and top seed Joshe Faulkner of Jeffreys Bay beat Bryce du Preez into second place to secure the U18 win with Arnold Vermaak of Jeffreys Bay third and Joshe’s cousin, Angelo, taking fourth place.
The 2017 Sea Harvest Vic Bay Gromcomp was the first Junior SAST event to take place at Victoria Bay in over five years. The contest was sanctioned by Surfing South Africa, the recognized national governing body for the sport. Surfing South Africa is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA).
