After five days of near-perfect waves and high-action surfing, Buffalo City Surfriders have claimed the team title at the 2025 Sea Harvest SA Junior Surfing Championships presented by SMTH Shapes, supported by Reef Wetsuits and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
Header Image: The impressive lineup: Lower Point, JBay © Kody McGregor
With consistent surf rolling through for the entire event window and light offshore winds greeting surfers each morning, the country’s best young competitors were treated to an unforgettable week of clean lines, long walls, and friendly rivalries. From the opening heats to the finals, the level of surfing was world-class, featuring powerful turns, tight rail work, and gutsy performances on the sand-bottom perfection that makes Point in JBay famous.
The atmosphere on the beach was electric from day one, as teams from across South Africa filled the dunes and beach with colour, flags, and team chants and cheering that echoed down the point. Between the competitive fire and the easy camaraderie of shared surf sessions, this year’s Championships reminded everyone why this event remains the highlight of the junior surfing calendar.
Buffalo City, known for producing some of South Africa’s most tenacious surfers, showed remarkable depth across all divisions to take the overall team victory. Cape Winelands put in a strong showing to finish second, with Ethekwini rounding out the podium in third.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Surfriders team might not have taken the trophy home, but they earned something just as important: the Spirit Award, celebrating their enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and sheer love for the sport. Their team hub was a constant throng of cheering, laughter, and support, a reminder that surfing, at its core, is about fun and connection as much as competition.
In the premier U18 Divisions, it was Rory Dace (NMBS) and Anastasia Venter (Cape Winelands) who stood tallest, each delivering standout performances in the clean pointbreak lines of J-Bay. Dace impressed judges and spectators alike with a powerful combination of speed and control, while Venter’s flow and composure under pressure sealed her a well-deserved win.
The Surfer of the Event award went to Josh Malherbe (Buffalo City), whose consistency, style, and competitive maturity were impossible to ignore. His all-around performance typified the spirit of the championships: a never-say-die surfing approach, good energy, and respect in and around the contest site and the lineup.
Final Team Results
- Buffalo City
- Cape Winelands
- Ethekwini
- Eden
- Ugu
- Cape Town Surfriders (CTS)
- Nelson Mandela Bay Surfriders (NMBS)
- Ilembe
Division Champions
U12 Boys
- Ethan Schermbrucker (CTS)
- Lazaro de Bruyn (EDEN)
- Leo McLeod (NMB)
- Judah Levendal (NMB)
U12 Girls
- Ella van der Made (ILM)
- Summer Harding (NMB)
- Skyla Nadauld (UGU)
- Adrianna Canning (ESA)
U14 Boys
- Marcello Zedde (ILM)
- Valdermar Gwenin (CTS)
- Mayah Douglas (EDEN)
- Finn Coates-Kolnik (CTS)
U14 Girls
- Emma Schermbrucker (CTS)
- Charlotte Copson (CTS)
- Maya Malherbe (BC)
- Brin Jarvis (NMB)
U16 Boys
- Carl Wiersma (BC)
- Kai Stubbs (CTS)
- Asbjorn Gwenin (CTS)
- Ben Esterhuyse (CTS)
U16 Girls
- Emily Jenkinson (CTS)
- Leah Lepront (ESA)
- Camilla Heuer (BC)
- Maxine Kauffman (ILM)
U18 Boys
- Rory Dace (NMB)
- Cooper Smith (CW)
- Jack Erlank (NMB)
- Josh Malherbe (BC)
U18 Girls
- Anastasia Venter (CW)
- Remi Fourie (BC)
- Lily Heny (BC)
- Gabbi Herbst (ESA)
