Surf Travel 24

The Surfing South Africa (SSA) Board of Director’s have ratified the selection of the South African Surfing Team which will compete in the 2009 International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games at Playa Hermosa near San Jose, Costa Rica in August.

The South African Team’s preparations, training and attendance at the ISA World Surfing Games will be supported by a R400,000 grant from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF). Since 2004 the NLDTF have supported all the South African teams which have competed in ISA World Junior Championships, ISA World Surfing Games and ISA World Masters Championships.

The 2009 South African Surfing Team consists of four Men, two Women, two male Longboarders, three coaches and a manager.

The Men’s team comprises three new caps in Brandon Jackson (Durban), Rudy Palmboom (Bluff) and Damien Fahrenfort (Durban), who are the highest ranked available South Africans on the ASP World Qualifying Series ratings. All three have represented South Africa at ISA World Junior Championship level.

The fourth member of the team is 2008 SA Team captain Ryan Payne (Cape St Francis) who qualified for the team after winning the trials held during the South African Championships ten days ago. Llewellyn Whittaker (Mossel Bay) is the non-travelling reserve.

The Women team members are Rosanne Hodge, South Africa’s only representative on the ASP Women’s World Tour, and fellow East London surfer Nikita Robb, who is currently ranked 10th on the ASP World Qualifying Series.