This week J-Bay hosted a competition for all longboard masters. In just 3 days, the whole range of conditions characteristic of this area has changed. But the main thing is that the waves were big enough for the riders to show their highest level. Let’s take a look at the day.
Day 1
On the first day, there were huge waves in the bay, reaching 10 feet, but by noon they became weaker, fitting into a reasonable 6 feet. This allowed the previously suspended competition to continue due to excessive risk.
Last year’s champion Christianson again showed good surfing, which was highly appreciated by the judges. According to the results, he took the 2nd position in the overall standings, and then a place on the podium of the 3rd round of the championship.
Riders from the Western Province got into the 3rd round: Manov Robb and Tristan Lev. The first showed a very long nose ride, which was highly appreciated by the judges. The second showed stylish turns and a nose ride, which was awarded the highest score of the day by the panel of judges.
Next, the masters played at the age of 35-45 years, among whom the local resident Michael Hill was remembered. Once again he gets a perfect score for the day thanks to his execution of deep wild carves and steady legs.
It is interesting that such competitions are considered significant events of the South African continent. This allows attracting many tourists from all over the world to the day of the riders’ performances, as it was this time.
Day 2
The next day of the competition, a strong wind began to blow from the coast. He complimented the scorching heat and waves of 2-3 feet. But more interesting was the performance of women, who on the second day of the games took to the water for the first time. This brought refinement and grace to the overall mood of the games.
Tarryn King, who is the current champion of this format, earned a hefty 7.38 points for her run. Long jumps and powerful maneuvers made her a participant in the quarterfinals, which took place the next day of the competition.
I remember Marishka Myers, who last year performed in the 4th month of pregnancy and took a significant 4th place in the overall standings. In the open division for women, she received the highest score.
The open category for men was subdued by local resident Jan Du Toit. His knowledge of the terrain and the waves of the coast helped him to perform the best series on perfect crests. As a result, he received the highest score for the entire event.
Within the framework of two groups at once (open and masters), Jonathan Rosslind played. He was marked by difficult races on the nose and protracted maneuvers. As a result, his score became one of the highest for all days of competition.
Mark Jackson showed excellent board control on a grandmaster scale. After his impressive performance, he increased the gap from the nearest rivals to 2 points, which became an insurmountable frontier for them.
Day 3
The third day of the competition was the most friendly to the athletes in terms of the prevailing conditions. Along the cape was a series of low 2-foot ridges, which perfectly suited the junior division, which competed in the final stage.
Nickerk excelled, earning an impressive 9.33, which confirmed his seven in the overall standings. Thus, the rider has earned a place in the final meeting, which will be held between underage athletes. In the same age category among girls, Loftus and Rosslind showed excellent style. They also won and will participate in the final.
Among the senior athletes, Michelle Van Kempen managed to show an excellent performance, which was easy for Hang Tens and Hang Five, between which she easily balanced.
In the final round of the open division, Jan Du Toit went up against Sam Christianson. The first rider showed flair, which allowed him to accurately select the time between maneuvers and work out bunch after bunch. Despite the strong wind, all landings on board were given without complications. Both riders advanced to the quarter-finals.
