Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
‘Ranch’ should suit SA pair
Jordy and Mikey could do well in first WSL event in Kelly Slater’s California wave pool
THE world’s first professional surfing tour event in a wave pool looms, and a South African might win it.
Okay, that might seem far fetched but consider this: Jordy Smith captained the international team that included Bianca Buitendag when they had the ‘practice’ Founders Cup of surfing, and they won it. But what gives this opinion further credence was watching young Capetonian Michael February stylishly carving the chlorine walls of the Surf Ranch about a week ago.
He’s taken to the wave like a fish to water, judging by the video, which dropped on Facebook via a big surf media website. More than a few fans got excited. Suddenly, there’s something interesting about the wave pool. Without us putting the mockers on him, some of those moves will surely score big at the Surf Ranch Pro next weekend.
The irony was that this new-fangled marvel of modern technology was being shredded by someone using a style reminiscent of legendary Hawaiian surfer Montgomery “Buttons” Kaluhiokalani in the 1970s and 80s.
Mikey has a crouched, lanky style that oozes old school but just when you think he’s going to do a lazy soul arch like you did in 1967, he suddenly unleashes a radical burst of new school elasticity, just like Buttons, who pretty much invented modern surf and skateboard moves.
The video opens with Mikey flying up off the bottom turn. He lands a small air sideways on top of the lip, but backwards. The move is a skateboard move that Buttons would have been proud of. Looking it up on Google, I think they call it a backside smith grind: when the skateboard lands perpendicular to the coping of the half pipe and scrapes (hence ‘grind’) sideways, wheels free.
Mikey slides finless for a moment, before pulling it back down the face. Buttons had the same stance - that bent-legged, hip-driven movement - followed by a sudden move that blew minds at the time. As the first person to pull off a carving 360 degree turn on film, it’s a tough act to follow, but some of Mikey’s moves are not far off.
Saffas Drop Out
All but one of nine South Africans remain in the Pull & Bear Pantin Classic Galicia Pro in northwestern Spain. Natasha Van Greunen and Teal Hogg were knocked out in Round 2, while Nicole Pallet and Bianca Buitendag fell in Round 4 of the QS6,000 women’s event. In the men’s QS3,000, Jake Elkington fell in Round 2; Shane Sykes and Ethan Fletcher in Round 3, and Dylan Lightfoot in Round 4. Due to his high QS ranking, Adin Masencamp is directly into Round 4, the last South African in the event.
Breede Portage
Portage training will again play a big part at the 51st edition of the Breede River Canoe Marathon this weekend, with the added lure of national titles. The event doubles as the SA K2 River Championships. The river is not as low as it was last year, but still low enough to mean plenty of portaging.
Dane for Durban
Surfing superstar Dane Reynold has accepted an invitation to the Cell C Goodwave Surf Tournament in Durban, and says he’s excited at the prospect of surfing New Pier. The slot became available when Mikey February was awarded a spot on the WSL Championship Tour.
Groms Hit St Mikes
St Mikes on the KZN South Coast has been cranking recently, which will have the ‘groms’ ‘frothing’ this weekend for the Sea Harvest South Coast Gromcomp. The 1A Rated SA Surf Tour event caters for U12, U14 and U16 boys and girls.
Weather Tip
The surf is 3-4’ today in light SE winds. The swell dwindles to 3’ by afternoon as the breeze picks up. Muizenberg looks light onshore and 1-2’. Tomorrow, the wind is due to blow N or NW as a coastal low pressure moves in and the air goes muggy, with possible showers.