It’s SA Champs time and Plett is represented by awesome trio
Local blondie locks surfer boys Joshua Stow, Dayne Olsen and Ri-aan Wiener are about to hit the surf at Jeffrey’s Bay’s Lower Point, where the Billabong South African Junior Surfing Championships is being held for the third consecutive year from today until Sunday October 4.
Josh, a member of the ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals), also surfed the Billabong Junior Champs Final in Seal Point and is currently ranked 15th in SA (at the time of going to print) as opposed to finishing 34th last year.
Says his proud mom, Liza Westwood: “Josh has spent yet another year in J Bay away from his family, in order to pursue his surfing dream. The boys started surfing competitively only two years ago, and this is their second SA Champs. They have done us proud before and we wish them the best of luck for this weekend’s competition.”
All three boys belong to Eden Surf Riders and ‘the twins’ work for Clayton Bis- choff at Plett’s Jamin’ Surf School during the holidays. But they are always in need of sponsorship to help with costs involved in participation. Dayne attends Bay College and Riaan Wittedrift High School.
Liza assisted us in gathering a little information about the boys that most of their fans may not know.
Joshua Passion:
Surfing. Favourite surf: Barrels and big turns.
Favourite food: Pineapple. Hobbies: Waves and babes. Motto: Be formless, shapeless, like water – Bruce Lee.
Says Josh: “Right now, in this moment, it is all about surfing. I sacrificed a lot to move to J Bay for two years to live this dream, doing my schooling at home. This weekend will be awesome, before I have to head out into th£ world, and then it’s INDOf
Dayne’s Passion:
Surfing. Favourite surf: Being in a barrel.
Favourite food: (Dayne did not comment, but we know that he’s fussy…) Hobbies: Besides surfing, skateboarding and playing with fire-fire poi. Motto: If you don’t go, you won’t know.
Riaan’s Passion:
Surfing Favourite food: Pizza, burgers and biltong. Hobbies: Apart from surfing I love cooking. Motto: Live hard, live your dream.
“Riaan taught himself how to surf and as a youngster we were all amazed at how he went into the big waves fearlessly,” says Liza. “He knew no better but always came out super stoked with the waves that broke on his head.”
The Billabong SA Junior Surfing Championship takes place from September 30 to October 4 and The Lower Point is sure to deliver some great waves and top-class action.
It is an intense team event, as well as a quest for the individual surfers’ personal honour and glory in being an SA Champion.
This year sees the team event format changed from a provincial contest to a district challenge, with competing teams representing Cape Town, Cape Winelands, Eden, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, Ugu, defending champs eThekweni, uThungulu and the Development Academy team.
So our blond surfer boys from Eden will be among 100 frothing juniors representing nine districts, along with their coaches, parents and entourage, and you’ll be hard pressed to find a better arena for the country’s top young surfers to perform.
As well as the coveted team trophy, individual honours in six different divisions ranging from U13-U17 will also be decided in the five- day tournament.
And as an added incentive, the winners of the U17 and U15 Boys and Girls divisions will score national colours and be included in the 2016 SA Junior Team.
So there’s a lot at stake and we wish Riaan, Dayne and Josh all the very best for their participation in this prestigious event. For updates, or if you wish to sponsor the boys in any way, please contact Liza via www.facebook.com/GoSurfing.co.za or on 083 489 2585.