Locals only for Jeffreys Bay Surf Contest

The local surf community came out of the woodwork on Saturday morning to witness a unique event in the history of surfing in Jeffreys Bay.

Ashley Walter in the best barrel of his life

16 of the top Supertubes surfers would be competing for a place in the Von Zipper Wildcard trials and sharing the line up with the water patrol, who were all long standing J’Bay locals. No surfers from anywhere else in the country or the world were going to surf Supers and there were even local policemen amongst the water patrol, making sure the Supertubes remained local’s only for the entire day.

Below: Ryan Payne the winner of the Supertubes Showdown about to hit the lip at Supertubes

The boardwalks at Supers quickly filled up with spectators and some made a bee line for the top deck at Tyrone Smith’s house and settled in to watch the action unfold. After a long waiting period, and many nervous moments for contest director Koffie Jacobs, the first wave to be ridden in the Xcel Supertubes Showdown was a classic. As the hooter sounded to start the first heat, Warren Dean whipped into a bomb and got barreled three times before being towed back out to the backline by Arthur Joubert, who was controlling the line up on his jet ski.

The first wave set the tone for the contest and spectators were given a display of tube riding that has never been witnessed in Jeffreys Bay before. Even the groms that were invited to the Supertubes Showdown got their cover ups whilst old stalwarts like Trevor Hansen showed he still knows how to ride barrels, much to the delight of his son Keane, who cheering from the beach.

 

The Xcel sponsored braai was well supported as was the bar as soon as it opened. The water patrol crew managed to come back to the beach to grab some Red Bulls before paddling back into the line up for some more uncrowded J’Bay perfection.

Prize giving ended just in time for the locals to watch the Springboks take on the British Lions in rugby. The day was aptly summed up by Tyrone Smith, the head of the Supertubes Surfing Foundation when he commented “It does not get any better than this”.

Those who still had energy left then managed to drag themselves off to the Mexican, the venue of the still talked about opening function of the Xcel Supertubes Showdown nearly a month ago.

Below: Dylan Lighfoot (14 yrs old) is a name to watch in the future about to cut back on a big Supertubes wall

The final was a tense affair with Supertubes legend Warren Dean trading barrels with Ryan Payne, with Payne eventually getting the nod from the judges and the invite to the Von Zipper Wild Card Trials. Three of the VZ trialists will get the opportunity to surf in the 09 Billabong Pro which will be held in Jeffreys Bay in July.

Final results of the Xcel Supertubes Showdown:

1. Ryan Payne
2. Warren Dean
3. Deon Lategan
4. Stan Badger

Artists against crime

Renowned Jeffreys Bay artist Stephen Bibb has joined the war against crime in Jeffreys Bay. Stephen has donated one of his paintings that will be given to an individual or an organization that has signed up as a member of the J’Bay Community Police Forum (CPF) by the end of June 2009.

“Safety and security is an extremely emotive issue in this country, it is time that we all started coming together as communities and taking back the streets from this scourge that is sucking the life from this land” said Bibb, who is well known for his surf art.

(above: Stephen Bibb oil painting on board.  Ocean dreams)

He urged people to join up with the CPF “We are realizing very swiftly that the only way to stand up against these cowardly gangsters and brutal thugs, who prey on the decent and largely defenceless public, relying largely on our fear and our apathy, is to become involved in defending our communities in any way that we can”.

“By joining the CPF and getting on the mailing list that’ll keep you up to date on what’s really happening in your community in the fight against crime.

Becoming more vigilant and security-conscious, all of us will be contributing to the solution and helping the dedicated men and women who make our town and ultimately our country a safe place for all of us”.

Check out Stephen’s art at his website at http://www.stephenbibbart.com

Showdown at Supertubes, JBay……..

The invitees for the Xcel Supertubes Showdown have been announced.  All 16 have earned their spurs in the surf hierachy in Jeffreys Bay and will be competed for the opportunity to surf against the top 44 surfers in the world in the 09 Billabong Pro in July.  

 

Heat draw for the Xcel Supertubes Showdown:

 

Heat 1
Warren Dean    
Ashley Walter                 
Ari Kraak
Steven Sawyer
  
Heat 2
Ryan Payne
Stuart Shelver
Dane Morris
Dominique Abersalie
  
Heat 3
Craig Els
Stanley Badger
Drew Thysman
Remi Petersen
  
Heat 4
Deon Lategan
Berti Stuurman
Nick van Eeden
Dylan Lightfoot
  

PS:

Who was the J Bay local dishing out tequila instead of snot klaps until the early morning hours at the opening function of the Xcel Supertubes Showdown in J’Bay? 

 

J Bay Locals in Supertubes Showdown

Surfers in Jeffreys Bay have closely guarded their beaches and their waves since the 1960’s when the small fishing village was discovered to possess one of the finest right hand point breaks in the world.

 

In the 1980’s the Supers locals decided that there would only be once contest a year at Supertubes. The Billabong Pro cracked the nod as the annual contest and the surf break remained the domain of the free surfers for the rest of the year.

 

However, the J’ Bay locals have been debating for decades on how to hold a contest for locals only, that would see a few surfers in the water, riding the long winding walls of Supertubes in uncrowded and classic conditions.

 

The Xcel Supertubes Showdown is the first contest of its kind in the Mecca of surfing in South Africa and will cater for 16 locals who have paid their dues within the J’Bay surf hierarchy.

 

Koffie Jacobs, a long time Supertubes maestro and founder member of the JBU Surf Club will announce the 16 invitees to the inaugural Xcel Supertubes Showdown at the opening function at the Mexican Restaurant in Jeffrey’s Bay on Wednesday.

 

Jacobs said the contest is for the local surfers and the invitees will see the likes of up and coming youngster Stephen Sawyer pit his skills against old guard surfers including former world tour campaigner Warren Dean and ex Springbok Craig Els.

 

“The contest has a waiting period from 5 June – 21 June and will take one day of surfing to complete. Four surfers will be in the water in 45 minute heats with the winner of each heat advancing to an hour long final. The JBU will provide the water patrol” said Jacobs, who is the contest director.

 

The winner will earn a slot in the Von Zipper Wildcard Trials that will be held on the opening day of the 09 Billabong Pro. The winner of the Von Zipper Trials gets a slot in the main event of the Billabong Pro. Warren Dean is hard in training
for the Supertubes Showdown and there will be no quarter asked or given in this unique contest.

(Below:  Dylan Lighfoot about to smash the lip at Supertubes, Jeffreys Bay.  Photo:  Koffie Jacobs)

 

Dylan Lightfoot (14 yrs) was stoked to hear he has been invited “I learnt to surf at Main Beach when I was 5 with South Coast Surf School and have worked my way up into the Supers line up over the years, “said Lighfoot. “It won’t be easy surfing against the ballies so they all know the wave really well but I am going to surf hard and see what happens”.