| South Africa announces World Juniors team |
| Sunday, 09 March 2008 00:00 |
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The Board of Directors of Surfing South Africa has announced the names of the surfers who will represent South Africa at the 2008 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championships in France from May 26 to June 2. The Under 18 Boys team is made up of former SA Under 16 champion Chad du Toit of KZN, current South African Under 18 champion, Shaun Joubert and fellow Southern Cape star Nicky Godfrey and top Western Province surfer Matthew Bromley. Shawn Dennis of KZN is the official non traveling reserve. Joubert, the 2007 SA Junior Team vice captain, earns his fourth cap while du Toit and Bromley represent South Africa for the third time. This will be Godfrey's second cap. After winning seven of her eight heats in the recent national selection trials, Bianca Buitendag of Southern Cape heads the Under 18 girls group which includes current South African Under 18 Champion Tarryn Chudleigh of Western Province, Chantelle Rautenbach of Boland and Sarah Baum of KZN. Alice Mc Gregor of Border is the official non traveling reserve. The talented duo of Buitendag and Baum are new caps while Chudleigh, who was seventh in the ISA World Junior Championships in Portugal last year as well as the consistent Rautenbach, will represent the country for the fourth year in a row. The four surfers who represent South Africa in the Under 16 division are all newcomers to the South African Junior Team. Western Province surfers David Brand and current Under 16 national champion Michael February are the two top seeds while Dane Staples of Southern Cape and Beyrick de Vries of KZN make up the balance of this group. Jacob Mellish of Boland is the official non traveling reserve. The team, which is supported by funding from the National Lotteries Board, will be accompanied by SSA Coaching Director Howard Gold, and fellow coach Clayton Nienaber. Technical assistance will be provided by former South African team coach Kevin Olsen, who is based in France. Pax Nydoo, Roxy Towill and Etienne Venter are the Team Managment. The 2008 SA Junior Team will participate in three official training camps at the Sports Science Institute in Cape Town prior to departing for Seignosse, France in mid May. On arrival in Seignosse the team will prepare for the World Championships by competing in the traditional Lotto SANZ Challenge against New Zealand. This event has the teams surfing for a special trophy made from unique New Zealand semi precious stone and South African yellow wood. The trophy was first presented in Durban in 2003 and is currently held by New Zealand. The 2008 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championships involves over 30 countries from five continents and determines the World Junior Team Champions, the World Junior ISA Tag Team Champions and medalists in the Under 18 Boys and Girls and Under 16 Boys Divisions. Source: Surfing South Africa
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| Last Updated on Saturday, 10 December 2011 12:41 |
