Whatshot

2025
2024
June
April
2023
March
2022
2021
2020
March
February
2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2016
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2015
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2014
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2013
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2012
December
November
October
September
August
July

Bianca Buitendag Bags Brace of Medals for South Africa at ISA World Surfing Games in Japan

Bianca Buitendag Bags Brace of Medals for South Africa at ISA World Surfing Games in Japan

Date: 2018-09-28

SA Surfing team captain Bianca Buitendag bagged a brace of medals for South Africa on the final day of the week-long 2018 Urban Research ISA World Surfing Games at Long Beach in Tahara, Japan recently.

Buitendag's third place finish in the final of the Women's event in the annual ISA showpiece saw her add the bronze medal to the copper medal she won for fourth place at the corresponding event in France last year.

And the 730 points she earned was enough for the Mercedes-Benz Buffalo City South African surfing team to overtake Team France and finish in fourth place out of the 42 nations at the event. Their copper medal is the country's first team medal since their gold medal performance in Panama in 2013.

Host nation Japan clinched an historic gold medal, their first team medal ever, with Australia taking the silver medal and the USA the bronze.

The final day action started with Buitendag one heat away from the women's Grand Final. But she finished fourth and well off the pace set by eventual gold and silver medalists Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia) and Paige Hareb (New Zealand).

Meanwhile in Portugal at the Praia de Ribeira d'ilhas, Ericeira, the QS10,000 EDP Billabong Pro Ericeira continued in fun three-to-four foot rights at Ribeira d'Ilhas and ran through the remaining heats of Round Two.

Major upsets ensued right away with world No. 16 Michael Rodrigues (BRA), the first of many top seeds to suffer early exits today. Later heats will end campaigns for World No. 8 Mikey Wright (AUS), long time CT competitor Alejo Muniz (BRA) and Jesse Mendes (BRA) as well.

Former CT athlete Ethan Ewing (AUS) on the other hand started with a great first heat. His polished carves and rail work turned in a couple of great scores to start and when he added a massive layback snap and a little tail slide in the combination, judges dropped a 9.00 and Ewing moved into Round Three. That came at the expense of World No. 27 Michael February (ZAF) who also bowed out early.