Louise Lepront and Hayden Mc Nicol are the 2025 SA Open Surfing Champions.
Not as big as the day before, with a fair share of onshore on it, the conditions were tricky but very contestable today, with big scores pouring through for the loaded final heats of the event.
The women’s final was a close affair. Van Greunen was in the lead until the last minute when Lepront picked up a bomb and executed a solid crack on her backhand. It was an agonising wait for the score, but it was enough to put her in the lead as the final siren went. Van Greunen was just behind in second, with Aimee Du Preez and Leah Lepront in third and fourth, respectively.
“I saw that wave coming, and I was just lucky that Tash didn’t get it,” said Lepront. “It was washy, but it cleaned up, and I knew I needed to do one big hit. So I managed to do a decent backhand turn, made it, and got the score at the last minute. So stoked to get the win.”
In the Open Men’s Final, local surfer Andrew La Verge kicked off the battle with a six-point ride on the board that put everybody into combat mode. Hayden Mc Nicol returned strong with a good opening ride and a solid backup. As he was doing the run around after his second wave, the announcer called his scores, which put him in first.
Despite a determined comeback from La Verge and flashes of brilliance from Mitch Du Preez and Clinton Gravett, Mc Nicol stayed in the lead and became the 2025 Men’s SA Open Champion.
In the team event, a very stoked Ethekwini Surfriders Association took the win from Buffalo City, with Nelson Mandela Bay Surfriders in third. Andrew Laverge was the deserving winner of the Surfer Of The Contest Award.
Header image: Ethekwini Surfriders Association © Kody McGregor
Final Results
Open Women
1st. Louise Lepront – ESA
2nd. Tash Van Greunen – CTS
3rd. Aimee Du Preez – NMBS
4th. Leah Lepront – ESA
Open Men
1st. Hayden Mc Nicol – UGU
2nd., Andrew La Verge – ILM
3rd.. Mitch Du Preez – NMBS
4th. Clinton Gravett – BC
Teams
1st. Ethekweni Surfriders (5506)
2nd. Buffalo City Surfriders (4723)
3rd. Nelson Mandela Bay Surfriders (4541)
4th. Ilembe Surfriders (3636)
5th. Cape Town Surfriders (3560)
6th. Cape Winelands Surfriders (3543)
7th. Ugu Surfriders (3440)
8th. Eden Surfriders (2663)
