South Africa’s surfing history is cast in stone

South Africa.

It was a serendipitous moment, as MC Paul Botha pointed out. The unveiling ceremony came seven years to the day, 19 March, when the idea was first mooted at the Surfers Corner 60s Reunion.

The turnout for the reunion was much more than the organisers had bargained for, and the earnest banter at the Muizenberg Pavilion that day ignited a new wave of interest in finding a way to record our history and culture.

After much red tape, and other challenges including controversy and fierce debate about what form the statue should take, the MID eventually managed to secure permissions and funding to have the first batch of plaques laid into the stone walkway at the Surfers Corner circle.

The plaques commemorate legends and pioneers of surfing, including all those who have become world champions.

Surfing stalwarts were in attendance at the ceremony from cities all around South Africa, including London and Santa Barbara as local surfers and their families looked on.

Cape Town surf families were there. Names like Meneses, Strong and Collier. Cheron Kraak, was down from Jeffreys Bay to be honoured. The queen of surfing in South Africa started her road to huge retail success by making surf clothing out of a garage back in the day.

So was 88-year-old surf coach Gra- ham Hynes, who is still imparting his wealth of knowledge to youngsters.

So were non-racial surfing pioneers such as Addie Jappie, from PE, and Schani Nagia, an instrumental figure in surf unity, along with Ahmed Collier, an outspoken voice in the darkest days of Apartheid.

Tomson officially opened the Walk of Fame not by cutting through a rope, string or ribbon. He got handed a zebra- striped surfboard leash, which he duly cut to some grimacing as the scissors struggled to cut through. The chuffed founder and owner of the brand that makes the leash went of course to social media to underline that difficulty!

Further inductees will be nominated and cast into the stone for posterity. The next challenge will be to decide what statue to put there. Come to Llandudno today for the Rolling Retro, where everyone will be riding antique surfboards and celebrating retro style and culture. A party with music will take place later. Registration starts at the Llandudno Lifesaving Club at 8am. A Free the Funk Fluro get-together takes place before, at 7am, to support awareness about mental health. People are asked to come dressed in their brightest and most outrageous Fluro colours. See facebook.com/rollingretro Sadly, all three South Africans who raised considerable funds to attend the Kumul World Longboard Championships in Papua New Guinea, have been knocked out. Steven Sawyer made it as far as Round 4. Matthew Moir reached Round 3 while Alfonso Peters made Round 2. Taylor Jensen (USA) and Chloe Calmon (BRA) won the men’s and women’s event respectively. The professional surfing season kicked off with the first WSL events of the year, the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast. Australians Owen Wright and Stephanie Gilmore won respectively in cranking 4-6’ surf. Jordy Smith, the lone South African in the mix on tour, was taken down by the old man, Kelly Slater (45), in Round 5. Kelly looks amazingly strong, and may just be in the mix for a 12th world title. He was beaten by Brazilian Gabriel Medina, somewhat controversially, in the Quarters. Solid 6 foot surf eases all day to around four foot in strong SE winds, which means good waves on the beachbreaks. Muizenberg is of course a writeoff due to strong messy onshore winds. Tomorrow, the swell has dropped right off as have the winds. Surf looks 2-3’ at the most in light to moderate S winds going SW, with improving but tiny surf at Muizenberg.4