It was a day of celebrations and disappointment on Day 4 of the 2014 Vissla ISA World Junior Champs for Team SA. The cheers were not only for Under 18 Team member, Shane Sykes, who celebrated his 17th birthday, but also for the heat winners that advanced to Day 5 of the 8-day tournament.
The disappointment came after the first member of the 12-strong SA Team was eliminated from the event. Ruth Armstrong finished 3rd in her Under 16 Repercharge Round 2 heat to drop out of the competition.
Ruth Armstrong was disappointed to drop out of the competition, but stoked to cheer the team on.
The conditions at La Fae were tricky to say the least. Anyone who has watched Shane Sykes surf will know that a top score of 1.47 in a heat indicates that something is not quite right. Both Shane and Steffen Burrows had to deal with backwash, side waves, deep holes and fellow competitors that wouldn’t budge an inch from the outside take-off rock at the main podium during Under 18 Boys Qualifying Round 3. Frustrating stuff, and both dropped into Repercharge Round 3 without cracking a score over 2.60.
Joshe Faulkner has been on fire at La Fae.
Earlier in the day, Joshe Faulkner proved to be the most consistent surfer in the team. The J-Bay local is the only remaining member still in the Qualifying Rounds after he advanced to Round 4 in the Under 16 Boys division. If he keeps up the momentum, Joshe is just three heat wins away from a Gold medal.
Joshe Faulkner gets congratulated by teammates, Cana Foster, Chanelle Botha and Teal Hogg.
In the Under 18 Girls division, both Teal Hogg and Chanelle Botha won their respective Repercharge Round 2 heats to advance to Day 5. Cana Foster joins them after winning her Repercharge Round 2 heat in the Girls Under 16 division.
Another heat winner on Day 4 was Adin Masencamp in the Under 16 Boys. The Boland ripper won his Repercharge Round 2 heat to advance to the next round. Ethan Fletcher finished runner-up in his Repercharge Round 2 heat to join Adin in the next round. Jordy Maree, meanwhile, couldn’t find the waves in his Qualifying Round 3 heat to finish 3rd. He too joins Ethan and Adin in Repercharge Round 3 of the Under 16 Boys division.
Jordy Maree surfed hard, but couldn’t find the scores needed to advance to Under 16 Qualifying Round 4.
Ntando Msibi and team captain, Max Armstrong, did not get to compete on Day 4. They were still awaiting their Under 18 Boys Repercharge Round 2 heats when action was called to a close on Day 4.
Check out highlights, results and photos on www.isawjsc.com
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