The Joburg Boardriders Club is the brainchild of Braamfontein pastor Nathan Gernetzky and he is excited to creating surfing history. The team’s number one seed is Fourways-based plumber Shane Warren who spent eight years on the WSL World Qualifying Series Tour and was a top provincial surfer who represented KZN in a number of National Championships.
Lifelong friends Kevin Trevaskis and Byron Loker—who learned to surf together in the waters of Muizenberg, fellow Capetonian Dominic Barnardt and SA Masters Champion Tasha Mentasti make up the balance of the team.
The Billabong SA Interclub Championships a national Surfing South Africa tournament which is supported by the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa and hosted for the first time by the Seal Point Boardriders Surf Club who won the tournament at Kitchen Windows in Jeffreys Bay last February.
In winning the 2015 Interclub the Seal Point Boardriders earned the right to not only chose their “stadium” for this year contest but were also entitled to enter two teams into the two day clash.
The Eastern Cape is well represented by a total of nine surf clubs. These are made up of 2016 hosts Seal Point Boardriders, last year’s hosts the JBU, the J Bay Boardriders, the 2013 champions, the J Bay Surf Club, the powerful CYOH Surf Club and fellow Port Elizabeth clubs Sunset, the oldest surf club in South Africa, Gravitas Surf Club and the Madibaz Surf Club from NMMU. The Kowie Boardriders Club from Port Alfred will be joining their Eastern Cape counterparts at the event.
2012 hosts, the well organized West Coast Boardriders Club will be joined by fellow Western Cape surf clubs SWOT, Share the Stoke, 9 Miles Surf Club and Maties from Stellenbosch University. The recently established Sisonke Surf Club will make the long journey to Seal Point to compete in the Interclub for the first time
The 2016 Billabong SA Interclub Championships will use the Aloha Cup “tag” format which sees teams of four men and one woman competing against each in a 50 minute heat. All the points scored by each of the surfers count towards the final team score.
Although competition will be fierce in the water, the annual Interclub Championships is an extremely social affair once the heats are over. With this in mind clubs will get together for an informal opening function at Stix in Cape St Francis at 7pm on Friday night. All participants at the event are welcome to enjoy the Billabong sponsored snacks and the live band at this popular venue
Grant Beck, the Billabong Team & Events Manager is looking forward to the tournament. “ We are amped to support the 2016 Billabong Interclub Championships. This event offers surf clubs from all parts of South Africa the opportunity to get together with fellow competitors, friends and family.
It is great to partner with Surfing South Africa and the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa and we look forward to staying involved in club surfing well into the future”.
Teams will meet at Seal Point at 7.45 am on Saturday for the official briefing and the contest will start at 8.30am.
