The Buffalo City Surfriders have once again proven their dominance in youth surfing, clinching the team cup at the 2025 Sea Harvest SA Junior Championships held in Jeffreys Bay — their fourth national title in six years.
The team’s success was headlined by Carl Weirsma, who claimed the Under 16 Boys title, while Josh Malherbe earned the prestigious Surfer of the Contest award for his consistent high-performance.
Coach Greg Emslie praised the collective effort behind the victory, highlighting the team’s passion and commitment.
“We’ve had great support from many people including the Buffalo City Surf Riders, a strong committee, committed parents, and dedicated surfers,” he said. “Our managers and coaches give their time for free to give back to the sport. Everything we do is built on passion and belief.”
Emslie said the team trained rigorously for more than two months leading up to the five-day national event.
“Winning an SA Junior event is massive — the margins are tight, and it takes discipline to keep a 25-member team focused. Beating eight hungry provinces makes this win even more special,” he said.
“Conditions were great, but also tricky at times. Over five days, you have to prepare for everything — and the performances were top-notch.”
He said Buffalo City’s growing dominance showed the team’s commitment to developing young surfers. “We’ve now won four of the last six SA Junior titles — the only four in our 30-year history.
“We’re constantly looking to improve. Our Border Closed Surfing Championships take place at the end of November, where we’ll introduce U10 and U8 divisions to keep the fire burning. Then in January, we launch our Summer Series, a grassroots initiative that helps attract and develop new surfers.
“It also serves as selection for the Eastern Cape Grom Games.”
Buffalo City’s surfers shone across multiple divisions:
U18 Girls: Remi Fourie finished second and Lily Heny third.
U18 Boys: Josh Malherbe placed forth.
U16 Girls: Camilla Heuer finished third in a highly competitive final.
U14 Girls: Maya Malherbe came third.
