Don’t you just love the Vans Surf Pro Classic? Yesterday the comp was moved closer to the harbour due to a massive lower pressure system that rocked the country and sent huge swell coastal. It even rained in Cape Town. Can you believe it!?
Today, the contest was moved back to the original venue, Yo-yos. And all participants were greeted by HUGE surf and a wonderfully stylish competitors area thanks to the team at Vans. They even had WATT bikes. Groms were WATT biking it up all over the place. Going nowhere fast. Anyway, the surf had calmed down a touch from yesterday, but it was still big. Much like Hawaii, comparable to messy Haleiwa. But if you managed to hunt out the right waves, and fearlessly commit to belting the lip, the judges awarded you high scores.
Groms. Tripping out on the Watt Bikes. Image: Thurtell
Jesus once told a parable of a man who built his house on the rock as opposed to the sand. When the storms came, the winds rose and the rain fell, the house that was built on the rock remained. Today was a day for classic surfing. Fundamentals. Those who built their houses on the rock of solid, classic, rail surfing emerged victoriously. Their houses remained intact through the stormy conditions, to battle another day, in a new round.
Matty Mc G – You guessed It – Highest Heat Score Total.
Matty Mc G, highest heat score total of round 1 (18.50). Matty Mc G, highest heat score total of round 2 (16.00). Matty Mc G, highest heat score total of round 3 (15.25). As the evidence clearly depicts, Mc G’s been on a tear. Today, on one of his many high scoring rides, he ditched the fins on a closeout bash. Where everyone aimed to hit the closeout early, so as to not get hung up in the lip and come down with the wash, Matty Mc G went a step further, approaching the lip late, and ditching the fins . You might think ‘whatever, who cares about one turn.’ But the turn is a clear display of Matty’s level of confidence. Not only is he willing to belt the death closeout section, he’s able to go a step further, and set them fins free. Matty has also had no issues with the big, wild, wooly surf. Where many struggled to keep the rail buried through the chop, Matty’s looked comfortable, more than that, smooth. The wild surf and ponderous lips suit his heavy backfoot. Cause the heavier the lip that comes at Matty, the harder he belts it.
The battle for the Krom River – Dylan vs Dale
Dale was one of the standouts of round 1 obtaining a 6.25 and a 7.75 for a 14.00 point heat score total. His solid, timeless, fundamental approach to surfing suited the powerful Wes Kus bowls just fine. In round 2, Dale upped the anti, with a 16.50 heat score total. Like wine aged in an oak barrel that only gets better with age, Dale’s surfing only gets better with size. The bigger the better. Dale nailed one of the closeout floaters of the morning. A section that hollowed out and stank of death, Dale committed, and those tree trunk legs absorbed the impact. Knees and legs sponsored by Gabriel Shocks.
We know a whole bunch of homies have posted this shot their Instagram etc. But we don’t care. That closeout bash was too big to not post again. Knees and ankles sponsored by Gabriel Shocks baby. Image: AVG
The Battle for the Krom commenced in Heat 2 of Round 3. The most exciting heat of the day. Shock absorber Dale took an early lead posting a 7.00. But Dylan wouldn’t let the Krom River be taken so indisputably. This ain’t Christmas. And thanks to capitalism, nothing in life’s free. So Dyl fought his way back. Finding himself a 5.75 and backing it up with 8.00. The 8, a hook in the pocket complimented by an absolutely gorgeous down carve. Sexy as hell. Supertubes written all over it.
Jbay’s Dylan Lightfoot takes the Krom from St Francis’ Dale Staples. Image: Thurtell
As the Battle for the Krom continued, Frenchmen Colin Doyez snuck into second place courtesy of some open face layback carves and a pair of low to mid-range sixes. And Australian Jordy Lawler nailed the backhand off-the-lip of the event thus far, pretty much a single turn wave, awarded with a 7.00.
Dylan won the battle, aided by the Frenchman, but the war ain’t over yet, and we’re certain Dale will gather the troops and relaunch an attack for the prized Krom River once the horn sounds and the lollipop swings green come the Cape Town Surf Pro.
Zoe McDouggal – This Ain’t Hawaiian Power Yet
As was previously mentioned… multiple times, today’s surf was heavy. The contest director waited until the end of the day, once the swell had dropped to send the Open Women’s out to face the treacherous conditions. And certainly, and obviously, those who consistently expose themselves to waves of consequence emerged the victors. Zoe McDougall from Hawaii looked comfortable in the heavy Wes Kus lineup. Compared to waves like Sunset and Haleiwa, 6-foot Yo-yos is probably a walk in the park. She surfed her waves well, laying down some smooth rail carves out the back, unperturbed by the heaviness of the ocean or the size of the waves.
Zoe McDougall. This ain’t Hawaiian power yet. Image: AVG
Sophie Bell – Sometimes You Just Gotta Bell it.
The final heat of the Women’s and we witnessed a battle of note. Between 2nd, 3rd and 4th place that is. Nicole Pallet stamped her authority early on in the heat, using her refined rail game, she stepped out in front… and stayed there. But it was Bell, who turned things around for herself. One her second last wave, she needed a score, she took off and bogged on her second carve. Beyrick, her surf advisor, lost the plot! Riveted by her choice of carve considering the section! But with only a handful of seconds remaining, the Bell found herself one last ditch effort. After some trifling on the outside, she made her way to the inside bowl where she absolutely Belled the closeout section. One of the best closeout bashes from the girls we’d seen all damn day long. Beyrick rejoiced. Sophie through.
The lip bash that got Bell through the heat. Image: Thurtell
Beyrick Breaks the 9th Place Curse
If you’ve had the pleasure of watching Beyrick traverse the globe in search of QS points, you’ll note that Beyrick has suffered from what he’s termed ‘the 9th place curse’. He just can’t seem to make it past 9th place. And it doesn’t matter the QS ranking of the event high or low. He got a 9th place at the Buffalo City Surf Pro in East London, a 9th at the Port Alfred Classic, a 9th at the Vissla Sydney Surf Pro and a 9th at the Burton Automotive Pro. Which, the latter of the two was QS 6000 rated events. Today, Beyrick broke ‘the 9th place curse’ and surfed his way to quarterfinal birth where he will face-off against Frenchman Colin Doyez.
Beyrick smashes a 9th place finish in the face. Image: Thurtell
In round 3, Beyrick set off to a compelling start. A fully committed grab rail bottom turn complimented by a juicy backhand bash. A few footlings through the middle, and a tasty closeout bash on Satan’s shore break of death. The judges, privy to the risk involved, threw a dog a bone in the form of a eight point two five. In charge, and out in front, Beyrick waited out back for backup. And us his competitors got the ball rolling, Beyrick sat and sat and sat. Until soon. The compelling start began to seem slightly less compelling than before. Staring down the barrel (excuse the pun) of yet another 9th place, Beyrick decided enough was enough. With only a couple seconds left on the clock, Beyrick found his way onto one more wave. Gave that thang a going over, and emerged on the beach to a heat win. A curse broken. And a quarterfinal birth.
The insider that pulled him through. Image: Thurtell
Enjoy a gallery and video of the day’s action below.
