Trendsetters to surf ‘wall of fame’
SIX pioneer Eastern Cape sports people will become part of a R2-million Surfers’ Circle Walk of Fame that is to be erected at Cape Town’s iconic Muizenberg Beach.
The surfing legends, who influenced the sport in South Africa up to 1964, were chosen because they inspired generations of surfers both provincially and nationally.
The walk of fame is to be constructed on a large traffic circle at Surfers’ Corner and will consist of a statue centrepiece surrounded by walkways, landscaping and plaques dedicated to the pioneers.
One each from Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban and Cape Town will be the first to be inducted on what is pegged to become a national landmark.
Port Elizabeth will be represented by John Heath, who formed the Eastern Province Surfing Association that hosted the first interprovincial surfing contests. Also to be honoured are Leo Davis, who formed the Commodore Surf Club, and the late Sandy McGillivray, who was known at Mr Surfing in the 1960s. McGillivray operated a surf shop and built Seal Point surfboards.
East London inductees are the legendary Bobby Joubert, who led Border surf teams in early national surf contests and manufactured Joubert surfboards; Soul surfer Roger Taylor, and early surf trendsetter Mike Hornsey, who discovered new surf breaks around East London.
Veteran watersports promoter and ex-Springbok surf coach Paul Botha says more pioneers will be added to the surfing circle annually, as will current stars.
The project is the brainchild of the Muizenberg Improvement District, an NPO whose aim is to improve the seaside suburb.