East London's Royden Bryson blasts his way to Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro title
Royden Bryson (East London) made the most of the great conditions at Durban's North Beach as he out surfed Durban local Antonio Bortoletto in the final of the 1* WQS Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro. Bryson led from the start, and despite his best efforts Bortoletto was unable to chase down Bryson's eventual heat total of 12.25, coming close with a score of 11.90. Bryson and Bortoletto traded waves in a very closely contested final, with Bryson adopting a high risk approach by boosting a big and clean front side 360 air. The seventh edition of the contest, which was held between 15 - 17 May, offered over US$10 000 in prize money available and featured an exciting man on man heat structure.
Bryson was understandably elated with his victory, saying that "it is not often that you get to win a WQS event, so this is something I will remember for a long time". With the amount of surfing talent in Durban, Bryson said that "it is not easy coming here and winning an event, but the win will give me a lot of confidence for the rest of the year, as I have got many big WQS ahead of me". "This win is definitely a push in the right direction, I don't normally do well in the smaller surf, so I am stoked to get a result here". Bryson described the conditions as "small and tricky, but the waves were running and it was very contestable".
The third and final day of the contest was one in which the remaining top seeds stamped their authority on the event, with juniors such as Casey Grant (Scottburgh) and Nic Godfrey (St. Francis) only getting as far as the quarter-finals thanks to Royden Bryson and Simon Nicholson (Durban). Bryson had set the tempo early in the day, posting a heat score of 16.50 out of a possible 20 in the 4th round, bettering his score of 16.25 set yesterday.
Finalists Bortoletto and Bryson were up against Nicholson and Ricky Basnett (Bluff) in the their respective semi-finals. Nicolson's massive experience surfing all of the breaks along Durban's Golden Mile had made him a serious title contender, although he was up against Bortoletto, who is arguably the surfer most familiar with the waves at North Beach. Bortoletto made his experience count and eventually edged Nicolson by a mere 1.1 points.
The other semi-final, between Bryson and Basnett, saw Bryson continue his trend of setting big scores in every heat he surfs. In the three rounds before the semi final, Bryson posted victorious scores of 16.25, 16.5 and 15.15, and sealed his spot in the final by virtue of another big score, a 14.75. Basnett had no response to Bryson's stellar performance, managing only to post a heat score of 9.75.
Eventual winner Royden Bryson and Shane Thorne (Durban) were involved in one of the most entertaining early heats of the morning, with Thorne's late charge and competitive score of 15.10 not good enough to chase down Bryson's 16.50, or to advance through to the next round. Mike Frew, Lizzard's Marketing Manager, said that "the whole weekend was great, and Antonio Bortoletto, who is our top team rider, making the final made it even better". Frew said it was interesting to see how the older guys handled the man on man format, saying "the more experienced guys were more comfortable surfing man on man heats, and it showed". "The younger guys were threatening", said Frew, "but it was the older, experienced crew who really dominated".
Nicholson knocks out top seed in drama filled day 2 of Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro
While day 1 of the Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro saw all the big names in South African surfing cruise through the first two rounds with relative ease, the early heats on the second day saw many of the same big names fall by the wayside. The Lizzard celebrates the 7th edition of its premier contest this year, which is being held at Durban's North Beach this weekend, 15-17 May. With over US$10 000 in prize money available in the WQS 1* event, and an exciting man on man heat structure, high performance and crowd-pleasing surfing was almost guaranteed.
Simon Nicholson, a Durban local and past WQS campaigner, made the most of his extensive contest experience and local knowledge in knocking out the contest's top seed, Brandon Jackson (Durban). Nicholson took a gamble and surfed the entire heat on the left hand side of Durban's North beach, taking advantage of the bowl wave in that area. Both of his scoring waves in the heat featured quality barrel rides, something which no other competitor has managed in the contest thus far.
Nicholson was surprised with his dominating performance, saying he "didn't expect too much success in the contest since I have been battling to find top form recently". He knew he took a risk by surfing the bowl section as "it's a tricky wave to surf because you have to know what you are looking for when you are choosing waves". Luckily for him, he "dialed into a few nice waves with barrel section", sealing victory in a heat in which he was always in control.
In other big upsets, Lizzard team rider and WQS surfer Dave Richards (Kommetjie) was knocked out by young Kyle Beach (Durban). Daniel Redman (Umhloti), a semi-finalist in last year's Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro, was taken down by an in form Dylan Stewart (Umdloti). Junior surfer Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga), who was one of the standout surfers on day 1, had his title hopes ended by a determined looking Manfred Adrio (Durban). In the 6th heat of the second round, another junior surfer, Nick Godfrey (St Francis), made his intentions clear by posting the highest wave score of the contest so far, an 8.5. He backed this up with a solid 6.25, and in the process knocked out Umhlanga's Chris Leppan in a high scoring heat.
Mike Frew, Lizzard's Marketing Manager, commented on "the really great atmosphere at the beach". With the massive Sharks game later in the day, people were out and about and "we are stoked with the crowds and the support that we had today". Frew was also pleased with the fact that "the man on man format forces the guys to come out firing, the surfing has been competitive and of a high standard, so we really couldn't ask for much more".
Towards the end of the day, some of the older crew restored some normality to proceedings, with Paul Canning (Durban), Royden Bryson (East London) and Shane Thorne (Durban) all claiming victories in their Round 3 man on man heats. Bryson produced the performance of the day, posting the highest and wave score in his victory over Devon MacNicol (Scottburgh). His two scoring waves of 8.75 and 7.5 combined to make an imposing heat score of 16.25 out of a possible 20.
Looking ahead to tomorrow (Sunday), the contest gets into the business end of things, kicking off at 7.30am with the Round of 16. Former WCT campaigners Ricky Basnett (Durban) and Royden Bryson are well placed heading into the final rounds of the competition. Both have extensive experience surfing the man on man format, and both are also showing signs of the form that got them onto the elite WCT in the past. Following the Round of 16, the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will be surfed. With awesome weather predicted to continue into tomorrow, there really are no excuses not to get down to North Beach tomorrow to witness some of this incredible action first hand.
Top seeds survive day 1 of Lizzard Nando’s Surf Pro
All of the top seeds taking part in this yea's Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro, at Durban's North Beach this weekend (15-17 May), kept alive their hopes of claiming victory, and the US$2500 first prize, in the WQS 1* event. The event, now in its 7th year, has adopted an exciting man on man heat structure, a format which is known to result in competitive and exciting surfing battles.
Mike Frew, Lizzard's Marketing Manager, was "stoked with the progressive and high risk surfing that we have seen so far". "The weather has been great and the surf very contestable, so we are happy with how the event unfolded on the first day". Looking towards the next two days, Frew is excited to see "what kind of surfing goes on in the man on man heats, as we are sure to see many massive battles".
Conditions on the first day of the contest were bigger than expected. Variable winds made the four foot swells slightly unpredictable, making local knowledge and experience a key factor. As such, local rippers like Lizzard’s Antonio Bortoletto, Warwick Wright, and Kyle Beach had no trouble advancing through the early heats.
Other surfers who eased their way into day 2 of the contest included Royden Bryson (East London), Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga), and Ricky Basnett (Bluff). De Vries, one of the more talented juniors on the circuit, sealed his place in the next round by boosting a clean front side air in the dying seconds of the heat, posting a heat score of 13.85 out of a possible 20. Title sponsors Lizzard would have been pleased to see their riders performing well, with Dave Richards (Kommetjie) and Klee Strachan (Warner Beach) booking a place in the Round of 32.
Brandon Jackson (Durban), who is currently the highest placed South African surfer in the contest on the WQS in 15th place, was up against Noel Rahme (Durban), a Round 1 qualifier, and Devyn Mattheys (East London) in the ninth heat of the second round. Jackson was in control of the heat from start to finish, and is handily placed going into day 2 of the competition.
With awesome weather predicted for the entire weekend, the contest site at North Beach is sure to be buzzing over the next two days. The Sharks are playing the Bulls on Saturday night in front of a capacity crowd, and with the IPL also in town, the beach is expected to be packed on Saturday and Sunday.
Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro to feature exciting man on man heats
This year's Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro, at Durban's North Beach this weekend (15-17 May), has adopted a man on man heat structure, a move which is expected to produce competitive and exciting surfing battles. The contest, now in an impressive seventh year, has R100 000 in prize money on offer, as well as 250 WQS points for the winner.
The WCT style contest format, with a three man opening round followed by man on man heats throughout the contest, "is quite a big deal and the surfers are very excited at the prospect of these close battles" said Mike Frew, Lizzard's Marketing Manager. This format should give the ex WCT surfers and the top WQS surfers, such as Brandon Jackson (Durban North), Ricky Basnett (Durban) and Roydon Bryson (East London) a distinct advantage as they have so much more experience in surfing man on man heats.
Local surfers should not despair, however, as their knowledge of local conditions should assist them in what will most likely be small peaky conditions with an East swell, and not very much wind the whole weekend. These conditions should really suit the local rippers and light footed surfers such as Antonio Bortoletto, young Beyrick De Vries and, again, Brandon Jackson.
Jackson, who is currently the highest placed South African surfer on the WQS in 15th place, is admittedly "on a bit of a high right now". Having reached the quarter final round of a 6* Prime WQS event in Australia earlier in April, and backing it up with a ninth place at another 6* WQS Prime event, the Quiksilver Pro in Durban also in April, Jackson is understandably "feeling good about my surfing".
Although the format will definitely suit the more experienced WCT and WQS surfers, the small conditions should level the playing field somewhat, and there could be some surprise upsets from a local or two. Jackson agrees with this observation wholeheartedly, as he says that "Durban has so many quality surfers, and you can never write off the locals, they are as good as any international surfer on their day".
SA's top surfers set to do battle at WQS 1 * Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro
Durban's North Beach will once again host the Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro, a 1* WQS rated event. The contest, now in its seventh year, will take place between 15 and 17 May. With R100 000 in prize money up for grabs, as well as 250 WQS points for the winner, South Africa's top international surfers will need no invitation to battle it out.
Among the many confirmed entrants lurk a number of surfers who have a realistic shot at claiming the WQS points and the prize money, all indicating that this will be a very tightly contested event.
Although it is almost impossible to single out one particular surfer as a favourite, the fact that Warwick Wright (Durban), has already won this event back in 2006 shows that he has both the potential and the temperament to perform at this level. Another Durban surfer, Brandon Jackson, is currently the highest placed South African on the WQS at 15th place, and based on current form must also be considered as a favourite to take the title.
Wright, a Durban local who is currently sitting in a respectable 34th position on the WQS, can also call on his extensive knowledge of the conditions at North Beach, a factor which in the past has proved to be the difference between winning and losing tight heats.
Two surfers who would readily challenge the favourite tags of Wright and Jackson are Ricky Basnett (Durban) and Royden Bryson (East London). Both surfers were on the elite WCT last year, a clear indication of both their surfing ability and the depth of surfing talent in South Africa. Given that they are campaigning on the WQS this year to regain their spots on next year's WCT, they will be going all out to claim the impressive prize money on offer to fund their WCT ambitions.
For more information on the contest, Lizzard products, team riders and more check out www.lizzardsurf.net. During the event, the site will feature videos, heat scores, results, pictures and news uploaded directly from the Lizzard site office at North Beach. Co-sponsors for the event are Bokomo, Nestle Pure Life Water and Bavaria, and the event is organized by Nerve Events. Those unable to get down to the contest can also follow the progress of these and other Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro hopefuls on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LizzardSurf.
Durban's Bortoletto eyes Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro victory
Lizzard-sponsored Antonio Bortoletto, Durban, is one of many of South Africa's top surfers who will be taking part in the seventh edition of the 1* WQS rated Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro. The event, which will run between 15 - 17 May, has R100 000 in prize money up for grabs, as well as 250 WQS points for the winner.
Bortoletto, who was born in Sao Paulo Brazil in 1979, only started surfing after he arrived in South Africa. His first stand up wave was at Durban's Addington Beach in 1986, where he used to go surfing with his mother. Bortoletto has been surfing for 22 years, 14 of them competitively, and has travelled extensively throughout his impressive career. Having spent the last many years surfing on the international WQS, Bortoletto has a vast amount of contest experience.
Having already tasted success on the WQS with a massive win in the 2005 5* WQS Rip Curl Boardmasters in, Newquay, England, Bortoletto is looking to his sponsors event to reignite his 2009 WQS campaign. Mike Frew, Lizzard's Marketing Manager, is optimistic about Bortoletto's prospects in the upcoming Lizzard event. Frew believes that "Antonio is always one of the biggest threats at any contest in Durban because he lives on the beachfront and surfs those waves every day. He knows how to deal with everything from tiny howling onshore's to a big offshore groundswell and everything in between".
Bortoletto is a true Durban local, as he calls New Pier his local break, and rates "a secret spot just south of Durban" as his favourite wave. He has as string of amazing results on his surfing resume, and rates his victories in the 2003 Mr. Price Night Surfing, the 2002 SA Champs Open Division, and the 2007 Quiksilver Goodwave as his most memorable.
Bortoletto is the first to admit that "the WQS is really tough, and there are so many factors determining results outside surfing abilities". As such, having a good relationship with your sponsors is central to your success on the tour. In the four years that Bortoletto has been with Lizzard, "they have given me great opportunities and supported me and it's great to have a brand that is based just up the road from my house and is South African and Durban based."
Frew speaks of how Antonio's input into the Lizzard team is so much more than just surfing contests. As a senior member of the Lizzard crew, "Antonio is the most experienced WQS competitor on the Lizzard surf team and has a wealth of knowledge he shares with some of the younger guys like Shawn Dennis who are just kicking off their WQS campaigns". "Last year the guys learnt a lot from Ant over the European leg, especially things like how to deal with tough heats, and knowing where to stay and travel".
For more information on the contest, Lizzard products, team riders and more check out www.lizzardsurf.net. During the event, the site will feature videos, heat scores, results, pictures and news uploaded directly from the Lizzard site office at North Beach. Co-sponsors for the event are Bokomo, Nestle Pure Life Water and Bavaria, and the event is organized by Nerve Events.
WQS 1 * Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro Returns to North Beach
The seventh edition of the Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro, again a 1* WQS rated event, will take place at Durban's North Beach between 15 and 17 May. With R100 000 in prize money up for grabs, as well as 250 WQS points for the winner, South Africa's top international surfers will need no invitation to battle it out.
Mike Frew, Lizzard's Marketing Manager, says "Lizzard are stoked to once again be able to put on a WQS rated surf event together with Nandos". Frew is hopeful that the event will see SA's top surfers performing in quality waves as "the month of May sees early winter swells and consistent offshore winds making it prime season for waves in Durban".
North Beach has become a favourite venue for this event, and Frew says this is because "the natural amphitheatre of North beach means spectators can get a good look at some world class surfing". The Lizzard Nandos Pro occurs just after a big WQS event in Scotland, and just before another in the Maldives, which means that most of SA's top surfers will be in the country.
Early favourites for the event include surfers such as Travis Logie, Royden Bryson and Ricky Basnett, as they are all top WCT competitors trying to get back onto the Championship tour. South Coast charger and Lizzard sponsored rider Gavin Roberts will be hoping that his experience as a former WQS campaigner will give him an edge. Antonio Bortoletto, who is arguably one of the most talented surfers in Durban's waters, will also be a threat due to his intimate knowledge of the conditions at North Beach. Other Lizzard riders who will be hoping to shine in their sponsor's title event include Klee Strachan (Warner Beach), Shawn Dennis (Durban), Jacob Mellish (Somerset West), Dave Richards (Kommetjie), Matt Pallet (Durban) and Mark Shepperson (Umdloti).
For more information on the contest, Lizzard products, team riders and more check out www.lizzardsurf.net. During the event, the site will feature videos, heat scores, results, pictures and news uploaded directly from the Lizzard site office at North Beach. Co-sponsors for the event are Bokomo, Nestle Pure Life Water and Bavaria, and the event is organized by Nerve Events.
