The second event of the Quiksilver Get Free Series will be contested at Bronze Beach in uMhlanga this weekend, and competitor, Dan Redman, sent us this six point guide to what we could be in for:
1. WEATHER* WISE:
Is the weather going to be beach friendly? Is it going to be spectator safe?
uMhlanga local, Chris Leppan, enjoying a sunny winter day at home.
Saturday’s weather predictions are going to give avid beachgoers sleepless nights. Light winds, clear skies and warm weather all day and well into the evening. Just a typical winter day in KZN. The weather will definitely be coming to the party and will be bringing friends. Get there early if you want a prime spot on the beach or on the Bronze grass patch. Sadly, Sunday will see that weather party come to an end with a drop in temperature. The massive drop from 27 to 24 degrees will still not affect the clear skies, however. Durban folk will bring their beanies, while visitors from further south will still be sweating it out and running around caked in suntan oil.
2. SWELL*, TIDES and BANKS:
Saturday looks to be in the friendly two to three-foot range. Full low tide is just before 8:00am, which, judging by the banks this past week, would see the event starting off in fast, shallow closeouts. But thanks to Friday’s light easterly wind and a weak period, the swell should be broken-up, creating some fun corners for the boys to work with. Broken corners and a stiff land breeze could see some morning barrels for a lucky few.
Finding the corners is going to be key.
By midday the tide will have filled in and the left bowl bank that has been running across Bronze will be the go-to peak. Add the light onshore to it and that will only make it more bash-able for young and old alike. With Sunday’s three degree drop in temperature comes a massive jump in swell height and period. Sunday is going to be spectator day, and workout day for the competitors. A deep 18 second groundswell will be marching swell lines in the six to eight-foot range up the coastline, ensuring the boys and men spend a little more time pondering their paddle out rather than trying to figure out where to sit in the lineup. Let’s hope the heats are pushed into the 25 minute range, otherwise we are definitely going to see some guys scratching for their first wave in the final five minutes of the heat after five failed paddle out attempts. Low-tide is around 8:30am just to add to the drama. I’m calling snapped boards and snapped leashes to start off on Sunday. If the morning is chilly enough then a land breeze should push through and open up some solid pits. Otherwise it will be straight side shore from the south at first light. Big rights and big beatings all day long.
3. THE BEGINNING OF:
M-Feb, warming up for the weeks ahead in Town yesterday.
This event will be the start of five big events along our coastline, which most of the top men will be competing in; and possibly one of them into the big last one, the J-Bay Open. With only one other Open Mens PST event earlier in the year, some will be a little rusty, while others would have already competed in a fair few international events. Either way, all of them will be looking to use this event as a warm-up and a last minute fine tune to all their minor equipment details. With the JBU Supertrial, Ballito Pro Trials, the Ballito Pro and the J-Bay Open up ahead, a good run through this event will see guys taking a lot of confidence into the following events with some big pay out potentials. The Quiksilver Get Free comp is not going be seen as a fun little event by any.
4. THE SPECTATOR GALLERY:
The uMhlanga promenade sadly will not see any virgin Zulu girls presenting the King with a reed as is the custom with the uMhlanga ceremony, or Reed Dance ceremony, that takes place annually further north in the Zulu Kingdom. But the promenade will see many uMhlanga mom residents running along the promenade with their fake attributes, stopping off at the Bronze Beach grass patch to catch a breather and view the action. There will definitely be a few other spectators and competitors trying to catch their breath as they bend their necks 180 degrees to view the promenade morning run-bys.
5. WATCH OUT FOR THE LOCAL:
Beyrick knows the north coast, which makes him one of the favourites.
Beyrick De Vries is a full die-hard Bronze local. He will be fresh back from a trip to Cali and Brazil, where he competed in some WQS 10 000 events. Even though he didn’t get the results he wanted, or the results we know he can get, he could take this event out with his eyes closed. But he won’t have them closed. He’s going to be eyeing out the title to make sure he is well and truly known as the Prince of Bronze Beach.
6. LIVE UPDATES:
If you can’t make it down to the beach on either day, or stay far away and want to keep up to date with results and schedules, follow the instructions in the picture below and join the Quiksilver Get Free Communication Zone. Heat results will be sent out after every heat, so you won’t have to be left out in the dark like Eskom often leave us.
Get the Heat Draws below:
Open Heat Draw >>
Under 20 Heat Draw >>
Under 16 Heat Draw >>
Event Schedule >>
* Weather and swell predictions were given from four days out. The predictions change daily so don’t bet your life on them.
