Cabrinha is hosting their annual summer sessions end of season party, and this year they have added a kite/sup event to liven up the day. Get your tickets at the Cabrinha shop in Big Bay, to avoid missing out. Ring (021) 554 1929 for more information. Skippers meeting starts at 09:00am. Party starts from 19:00.

This coming weekend hosts the annual Pro X extreme sports event happening on the West Coast. There is only one way out - FLAT OUT. Think massive aerial maneuvers like back-flips and tail-whips in the FMX arena.  Think slick and stylish trickery on the half-pipe and street course in the Skateboarding arena. Think Big Air and agility in the BMX arena and of course, think balance and coordination with huge sprays in the Wakeboarding.  Put all these thoughts together and you should be roughly in the region of the adrenaline fuelled Pro-X Extreme Games! Check out their website for times and where to get tickets.

Cabrinha are hosting their annual Summer Sessions party at the Big Bay lifesaving Club on Saturday the 13th March. This time, there will be a kitesurfing event during the day, and a killer line up of awesome DJ’s and bands to entertain all the participants and their families. Tickets are available at the Cabrinha shop in Big Bay. Contact Greg on (021) 554 3305 for more information.

Also, for the 6th year in a row, Doodles are hosting their annual kiting contest on the 20th and 21st March.  To request an entry form email kim@doodles.co.za.

If you happened to be in Bluewater Bay over the weekend of the 20th – 21st February you would have experienced the 4th stop of the South African Kiteboard Tour.

This is the 1st year that the South African Kiteboard Tour (SAKT) has taken place and what a great 2 day event it was. Kitesurfing demonstrations by some of SA’s top kitesurfer’s was held and interviews with a number of great riders such as Lasse Girolstein (International rider from Germany) and Greg Thjisse (who competed at the KPWT and PKRA World Tours) and Sophie Routaboul (International rider from France).
                                                                                                                                 

Congratulations to the overall winners

Men’s Pro Freestyle Division

1st : Greg Thjisse   (CPT)
2nd: Alan Steel     (LBN)
3rd: Kurt Schmelzer   (P.E)
4TH : Luke Mcgillewie    (CPT)

Woman’s Pro Freestyle Division

1st : Megan Jansen van Rensburg   (CPT)
2nd : Michelle Smith   (ALEXANDRIA)
3rd : Caroline Hossack   (CPT)
4TH : Sophie Routaboul  (FRANCE)

Men’s Novice Freestyle Division

1st : Bruce Houge   (P.E)
2nd: Brad Sorour     (P.E)
3rd: Martin Hartslief   (P.E)
4TH : Lander Vincent    (P.E)

Men’s Pro wave Division

1st : Luke Mcgillewie    (CPT)
2nd: Greg Thjisse   (CPT)
3rd: Dylan Stephens   (P.E)
4TH : Oswald Smith    (CPT)

Woman’s Pro wave Division

1st : Sophie Routaboul  (FRANCE)
2nd : Caroline Hossack   (CPT)
3rd : Michelle Smith   (ALEXANDRIA)
4TH : Megan Jansen van Rensburg   (CPT)

Based at the mellow SUNSHINE SURF RESORT, you will be hosted by Greg Bertish, who has been here 6 times before.
Each day will be an adventure and a wave riding feast.
We will venture out on the surf cruiser early, looking for Glassy and smooth outer reefs and long point breaks to SUP.
The aim will be to chill and ride waves as much as possible , while getting as much good footage and coverage for YOU and the PRESS as possible.
If the wind comes up later in the day, surfing and kiting will be the GO!

This area has some of the best TOTALLY UNCROWDED surf breaks and SUP/kite waves in the world, and we want to RIDE them all! 

Proposed Trip Dates:
Depart: 1 June                      * ( alternate dates END April or  END SEPT)
Return: 12 June
Cost: +/- R13 800 pps             (will be finalised on numbers & dates)

Includes: 
Flights from JHB, transfers, 10 nights at Hotel/ Surf Resort, all meals, Surf boat and guide to all waves.

Not incl:
Flight to JHB, drinks, air tax  (+/- R1900), other costs that may be incurred by you.

Contact Greg for more information.

Once again a very successful and thoroughly enjoyed event with the weather being particularly suitable, well maybe less holes and a little more breeze for the Bay Race (oh I suppose less shipping as well)  and less breeze for the trip back to Cape Town. Congratulations to the organisers and grateful thanks to the sponsors.

As you all know the results process is extremely frenetic as it turns out the results from the weekend were calculated without a discard. This was a mistake with large consequences. And all involved sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. This mistake was due to a number of factors however mainly due to the short time span between the end of the last race and the prize giving. We do apologize and would like to detail the latest provisional results here and they will be up on the website in due course.

OVERALL RESULTS MYKONOS OFFSHORE 2010

CLASS 2

1st Reaction                       Theunis Groenwald
2nd Pure Magic                  Alan Taylor
3rd Welsh Witch                Dave Garrard

CLASS 1

1st Always Well                    Lance Burger/Ralf Thomas
2nd Umoya Omusha           Dave Herman
3rd Spectrum                        Andy James

IRC CLASS

1st Felix The Cat                  Anthony Wentworth
2nd Regent Express           Trygve Robert
3rd Music Sabago               Guy Nottingham

The total prize pool for the event was a staggering US$150,000, which was the largest in big wave surfing to date, and Chris took home a sweet US$50,000 for his first place prize. Chris flew 36 hours to get to the event on time, gambling that the event would run and that the waves and conditions would be good enough for the contest director to give the go ahead.

Bertish is part of the O’Neill South Africa surf team, and also works as the Western Cape sales agent for O’Neill South Africa. He has been with the brand for 5 years and has played an active role in marketing initiatives, as well as representing in big wave events around the world. Chris is a former finalist in the Red Bull Big Wave Africa, and his most recent results was a third place at the Nelscott Reef Paddle In Event.

Paul Canning (PC) from O’Neill South Africa was really pleased on hearing the news. “We at O’Neill South Africa are really stoked for Chris,” said a proud PC. “I know that this has been a dream of his for a long time, and he has put a lot of hard work and effort into his big wave surfing over the year. Chris is really passionate about big-wave surfing and the brand, and he really stands for what O’Neill is all about.”

The waves for the event were big, unruly monsters, some of them up to 40-foot. There were mentions of 60-foot waves rolling through but with no one able to catch them. Mavericks is a heavy big wave spot, and competitors all agreed that these were some of the biggest paddle-in waves that they had ever surfed. Some heavy wipe-outs, scary sitiuations and blood pouring from the mouth of competitor Zach Wormhoudt after one nasty fall added to the excitement. Even winner Bertish took his fair share of the knocks out there, getting caught by one monster set. “I took the worst beating of my life out there,” said Chris in a post-event interview.

The inimitable Bertish had a wild ride this year just getting to the event, which included some self-generated fund-raising, and a few broken ribs, all of which he overcame en route to this amazing victory and the massive first prize cheque of US$50,000 (R385,000).
“It was an honour just to be here today and paddle out with these guys,” said an emotional Bertish on his win. “I flew 36 hours to be here, and this has been a dream come true.”
There were an estimated 50,000 spectators lining the cliffs at Half Moon Bay to witness this unique event and his memorable victory.

Issued on behalf of:
Paul Canning
O’Neill South Africa Marketing and Sales Manager
paul.c@oneill.co.za

This past Sunday, they kited from Melkbos to Hout Bay in a gnarly NW and have written their encounter for release in the new GUST, due for release in March 2010.

If you would like to be involved in their mission, leave your comments here.

Bryan “Nomad” Mincher, loyal GUST reader living in Johannesburg, is racking up a heap of voyager miles with his frequent trips to the fairest Cape and surrounds. Bryan and his kite buddy, Terri Kidson, can often be found on the water at Big Bay from lunch time on Friday’s and kite between Scarborough and Witsands, where Bryan has a holiday house.

Check out the video which they sent in! Why don’t you send in yours? Buy the new GUSt to see some of Bryan’s fine photography.