Story by: Dan Redman. All images © Fabian Coetzer and Nick Ferreira
View video here: Filmed by Matt VW. Edited by Nick Ferreira
Quiksilver Off the Lip Movember Surf Jam – Beach Bums
The Quiksilver Off The Lip Movember Surf Jam delivered just the right combination of weather and facial hair to make for an eventful summer’s day party at Beach Bums on Saturday. The waves weren’t exactly all time, but Beach Bums is not one to be known as a surf spot. It’s more of a north coast party destination, and a party is exactly what was had.
After last year’s event, everyone had a good idea of what was to be expected of them this year. The event’s theme was 70’s dress-up, with no more that two fins being the staple diet of shredding utensils. Many contestants were unrecognisable, hidden under their old school personas for most of the day. Devin ‘Pie’ Lane and Dane Monks arrived in full 70’s character after a heavy night of training for the event. They rocked up taking the event’s theme very seriously and left believing they were Larry Bertlemann and Buttons Kaluhiokalani.
There was many-a-mo running around the comp area, as well as a lot of fake one’s on the female contestants and younger groms, who would otherwise have been pretty out of place with their baby-bottom-smooth upper lips.
The waves weren’t great but they didn’t need to be. No one’s career was on the line and the criteria was all about nose rides and hands-in-the-air flare. If you didn’t have the style, you didn’t score the points, which were awarded by the celebrity judging panel. There were a lot of girls cruising around on the beach, creating most of the day’s better highlights bar for Dale Staples, Chris Leppan and Dylan Stewart, who dropped some retro-styled rides that will go down in mo-history as well as send them through the finals along with Justin Bing, Paul Canning and little Shaney Sykes.
By the time the finals came around, the waves had moved from the outside to the shore break, breaking over a shallow shelf creating some pretty hectic situations for the finalists to deal with – especially on their chunky vintage boards.
By the end of the day it was Dylan Stewart who mowed down the other hopefuls, narrowly beating mer-man Chris Leppan, who had actually walked the ten kilometre stretch of beach between Umhlanga and Beach Bums that morning, collecting shells along the way.
After a full day of action in the water, from the surfers to the dolphins and the whales, the DJ’s took over and the bar became the next best hangout. If you missed out on this year’s event give the gallery a little look and make sure you make it to next year’s biggest charity surf party.
FULL PRESS RELEASE BELOW
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PRESS RELEASE
23 November 2014
Dylan Stewart Wins Annual Off The Lip Movember Surf Jam At Beach Bums.
Beach Bums, Tongaat – Dylan Stewart of Umdloti, KZN emerged the best of the sixty surfers who participated in the annual Off The Lip Movember Surf Jam which took place at Beach Bums at the weekend. The event, now in its second year, is a retro seventies fundraising surf event hosted by Quiksilver and the Movember foundation. Surfers and spectators were invited to Beach Bums on the Kwa-Zulu Natal north coast to relive the glory days, show off their well manicured Movember moustaches, dress in seventies surf gear and ride single or twin fin surfboards from the seventies era.
Participants were blessed with picture perfect weather but extremely tricky two feet onshore surf conditions. A mixture of old and young, men and women all turned up to show their support for the Movember movement. Ten six-man heats were surfed throughout the day using the traditional beach start. Judges included legendary surfboard shaper’s Jonno Hutchison (Ballito) and Spider Murphy (Durban). Unlike traditional modern day surf events, heat winners were determined by their style, flow and creative approach to each wave. The top six scores of the day made their way into the grand finale. Dylan Stewart (Umdloti) proved to be too strong for the rest of the field, looking very comfortable on his old-school retro surfboard he emerged victorious.
“What a rad event, it wasn’t easy surfing these old boards but we all had fun and it was for a good cause so even better,” said an excited Stewart after the event.
Chris Leppan from Umhlanga finished a close second while Justin Bing (Durban) ended up in third place. Dale Staples (Westbrook), Paul Canning (Durban) and Shane Sykes (Salt Rock) placed fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
Other awards on the day went to Dale Staples for the most vertical manoeuvre, Justin Bing for the best 360, Ryan Bisset for the worst wipe-out, Ant ‘Mogwai” Molgora for the best ‘toes on the nose’, Chris Leppan for the best floater manoeuvre, Shane Sykes for the best ‘drop the wallet/layback’ manoeuvre, Sophie Bell for the best ‘Mo Sista’ and Rein van de Wall for the ‘best dressed’. Prizes included the first place Peter Lawson handcrafted black twin fin surfboard, Gunslinger longboards, Skullcandy Movember headphones, Quiksilver gear, Captain Fin Co fins and specially developed moustache waxes and oils.
Quiksilver’s Marketing Manager Dane Patterson was very pleased with the event and said, “We couldn’t have asked for a better day, the sun was out and the surfers and spectators had a blast, we are very proud to be associated with the Movember foundation and what they stand for. This retro seventies day out is the perfect fit for Quiksilver and we hope to see it grow every year.”
Close to R10 000 was raised on the day through participation donations and raffles, all money raised on the day will be donated to Movember and their men’s health partner, CANSA.
For more information about Movember visit www.movember.com. To purchase Movember merchandise and support a good cause visit www.boardriders.co.za/movember.
Final Results:
1. Dylan Stewart (Umdloti)
2. Chris Leppan (Umhlanga)
3. Justin Bing (Durban)
4. Dale Staples (Westbrook)
5. Paul Canning (Durban)
6. Shane Sykes (Salt Rock)
Dale Staples – Best vertical manoeuvre
Justin Bing – Best 360 manoeuvre
Ryan Bisset – Worst wipeout
Ant ‘Mogwai’ Molgora – Best ’toes on the nose’
Chris Leppan – Best floater manoeuvre
Shane Sykes – Best ‘drop the wallet/layback’ manoeuvre
Sophie Bell – Best ‘Mo Sista’
Rein van de Wall – Best dressed
Dylan Stewart (Umdloti) in action on his way to winning the annual Off The Lip Movember Surf Jam held at Beach Bums at the weekend. Photo by Fabian Coetzer.
Dylan Stewart (Umdloti) winning the Off The Lip Movember Surf Jam held at Beach Bums this past Saturday.
Photo by Fabian Coetzer.
