The RYD Summer Series officially came to an end on February 19 at Nahoon Beach, after 75 young surfers spent three weekends competing in the six age divisions for boys and girls.
This was both the opening event of the year for Buffalo City Surfing and the trials to determine the Buffalo City teams for the Sea Harvest Grom Games and Sea Harvest SA Junior Championships.
Craig Hanafey, of Border Surfing Club, was very pleased with the surfers for their commitment to the series.
“We have seen a great turnout in the young age divisions with some standout performances. This bodes very well for the future of Buffalo City surfing which has traditionally punched far above its weight in national competitions precisely because of initiatives such as the RYD Summer Series.
“Buffalo City surfing in general and particularly the juniors have been very strong in recent years. The general level of participation bodes very well for the future of surfing in the region,” he said.
The water quality was somewhat of a challenge for the series as the second leg had to be moved to Gonubie due to a sewage spill at Nahoon Beach.
Border Surfing Club will be hosting the WSL Nahoon Pro at Nahoon Reef on March 24-26. The event will decide the African representatives at the WSL Challenger Series, which comprises seven events around the world, including the Ballito Pro in July. All of Africa’s best surfers will be attending, including those from East London who make it.
