Rip Curl Gromsearch - Bianca Buitendag does good!

Beyrick de Vries wins Rip Curl Gromsearch series in Durban

Press Release / Rip Curl / 22 June, 2008:- Beyrick de Vries posted a hard fought victory at the first event in the 2008 Rip Curl Gromsearch series presented by Island Tribe on Sunday, defeating national junior team-mate Davey Brand (Kommetjie) in the premier U16 boys final at Dairy Beach in Durban.

The 15 year-old from Umhlanga opened his account in the final with a strong 7.5 point ride before Brand, who had earlier relegated de Vries to second place in their quarterfinal match up, came back with an excellent 8.5 followed by a 5.5. However, it was to be de Vries’ day as he responded with 7.75 on his last ride to clinch the win by 15.25 vs. 14.00.

“I knew I needed to do a couple of big manoeuvres on the outside before linking to the inside section to beat Davey and I managed to do that on my last wave, so I’m stoked to win,” de Vries said.

De Vries went on to dedicate his victory to a plucky Mikyle le Roux, a relative newcomer to contest surfing, who chose to participate in the event despite tragically losing his mother on the night before following a car accident that also claimed the lives of his sister and other family members.

Western Cape surfers JC Susan (Melkbosstrand) and Jacob Mellish (Somerset West) finished equal third after losing to Brand and de Vries respectively in their man-on-man semi-final encounters. All four receive invitations to the Rip Curl Gromsearch Grand Finals that will be held ‘somewhere’ on the KwaZulu-Natal coastline in November.

The U16 girls’ title went the way of Bianca Buitendag from George who was undefeated throughout the event which started at Ushaka Island on Saturday before moving to Dairy Beach on Sunday. Buitendag, the highest placed SA team member in the U18 girls division at the recent ISA World Junior champs in France, relegated team-mate Sarah Baum (Athlone Park) to second place ahead of Heather Klug (Glenmore) and Tanika Hoffman (Kommetjie).

It was Baum who secured the U14 girls’ crown though, beating a trio of KZN South Coast opponents in Chanelle Botha (Warner Beach), Caryn MacNicol (Scottburgh) and Courtenay Ellish (Warner Beach), who finished second to fourth.

Kommetjie phenomenon Benji Brand, who only turns 12 at the beginning of July, emerged triumphant in both the U12 and U14 boys’ finals. The stocky goofy-foot (rides with right foot in front) reveled in the left breaking waves at Dairy Beach, posting some of the highest scores of the event.

Benji beat Josh Smit (Athlone Park) in the man-on-man U14 boys final where Max Armstrong (Kommetjie) and Slade Prestwich (Park Rynie) finished equal third after winning the U12 boys from Jason JJ Harris (Scottburgh), Armstrong and Brett Payn (Port Edward).

The top four in each division received invitations to compete in the SA Grand Finals in KZN in November where the winners of the U16 boys and U16 girls’ divisions will earn invitations plus airfare to the Rip Curl Gromsearch International Finals held at Bells Beach in Australia next Easter.

Durban Results

U/16 Boys
1. Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga)
2. Davey Brand (Kommetjie)
=3. JC Susan (Melkbosstrand)
=3. Jacob Mellish (Somerset West)

U/14 Boys
1. Benji Brand (Kommetjie)
2. Josh Smit (Athlone Park)
=3. Slade Prestwich (Park Rynie)
=3. Max Armstrong (Kommetjie)

U/12 Boys
1. Benji Brand (Kommetjie)
2. Jason JJ Harris (Scottburgh)
3. Max Armstrong (Kommetjie)
4. Brett Payn (Port Edward)

U/16 Girls
1. Bianca Buitendag (George)
2. Sarah Baum (Athlone Park)
3. Heather Klug (Glenmore)
4. Tanika Hoffman (Kommetjie)

U/14 Girls
1. Sarah Baum (Athlone Park)
2. Chanelle Botha (Warner Beach)
3. Caryn MacNicol (Scottburgh)
4. Courtenay Ellish (Warner Beach)