Whatshot
South African Surfers make their presence felt at ISA World Surfing Games in Japan
South African Surfers make their presence felt at ISA World Surfing Games in Japan
Beyrick de Vries of uMhlanga posted the highest heat total in the challenging overhead typhoon swell conditions for the opening day of the Urban Research ISA World Surfing Games at Long Beach in Tahara, Japan on Sunday.
De Vries, who last represented South Africa as a junior in New Zealand in 2010, posted a pair of seven point rides for a two-heat tally of 14.27, one of just a handful of double-digit totals on the day. He was joined by male team-mates and fellow heat winners Adin Masencamp of the Strand and David van Zyl of Glenashley in Round 2 of the Qualifying Stream of the double-elimination format used in ISA events.
Team captain Bianca Buitendag of Victoria Bay made full use her World Tour experience, winning her opening encounter in the women's division with a total of 7.17. A bronze medalist at the corresponding event in France last year, Buitendag explained the significance of the World Surfing Games now that surfing has been accepted as a sport for the 2020 Olympics.
Multiple event winner Nicole Pallet of La Lucia racked up 5.2 points to finish second in her first match up of the event and also advanced to Round 2. But rookie South African team member Zoe Steyn of East London dropped into the cutthroat Repecharge Rounds when she placed third in her Round 1 duel.
The 14-year-old needed a score of just 1.28 to advance but missed out by 0.10 of point and now faces a difficult route to reach the final round of the event. Several surfers have won ISA titles after dropping into the Repecharge stream after Round 1, notably Steyn's compatriot Jordy Smith of Durban who won the ISA Men's title in California in 2006.
We're rooting for our surfers and are sure that they will make us proud.

