J-Bay delivers dream week at SA Longboard Championships

The Herald

13-05-2025

A spectacular week of surfing, sunshine and South African spirit came to a close on Saturday as the Billabong SA Longboard Championships wrapped up in style at Lower Point, Jeffreys Bay, on Sunday.
Durban North's Christy Gilmour and Jeffrey Bay's Steven Sawyer took top place in the Open Ladies and Open Men's divisions in the final showdown.
The event saw five days of world-class longboarding, competitors across 17 divisions — from Under-14 to Over-75 — were treated to flawless J-Bay walls and daily dolphin sightings.
Friday's junior heats stole the show, showcasing the future of SA longboarding.
Emma Schermbrucker wowed the crowd with a perfect 10-point ride and an 18.33 heat total in round one of the Under-14 girls, then followed up with a 9.67 in the semis.
Her brother, Ethan Schermbrucker, posted a strong 8.00 in round one and an 8.83 in the semifinals of the Under-14 boys.
Tallulah Golding stood out in the Under-16 Girls with an 8.23, while Matt Vosloo dominated the Under-16 boys division with 8.50 and 8.67 rides in round one.
Rory Dace, known from the shortboard scene, made an impressive transition to longboarding with an 8.00 in the Under-18 boys quarters and an 8.83 in the semis.
Callum Loftus scored a commanding 17.53 heat total in the Under-16 boys semis, and Eddy Harker contributed an 8.00 ride in the Under-14 boys semifinals.
In a nail-biting final that came down to the last few seconds, Gilmour, Tarryn King, Crystal Hulett and Cara Stubbs exchanged waves in a tense finish.
With all three front-runners catching rides in the final 30 seconds, it was Gilmour who sealed the deal with a clutch buzzer-beater, earning her the title with a combination of graceful nose rides and critical rail surfing.
The final placings were: 1 Gilmour (Durban North), 2 Hulett (St Francis Bay), 3 King (Kommetjie) and 4 Stubbs (Muizenberg).
The open men's final was a high-octane battle between Sawyer and Sam Christianson, both going wave-for-wave in a tight heat.
Sawyer's composure and signature style earned him the edge with a heat total of 18.97, narrowly topping Christianson's 18.30.
Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay) finished first, Christenson (Durban North) was second, Shane Fourie (Eden) third and Thomas King (Kommetjie) fourth.
Mohamed Dewan, general manager of Boardriders SA, which includes the Billabong brand, congratulated the competitors.
'We have witnessed some world-class surfing and the camaraderie that makes this such an exceptional sport.
As title sponsors, Billabong would like to extend our congratulations to all the contestants for their skill and style, as well as to the event organisers for putting on such a successful competition.
'This event reflects who we are — deeply rooted in surf culture, passionate about our coastlines and proud of our athletes.
'SA has some of the best longboarders in the world, and it's our honour to support their journey.
'The championship not only showcased exceptional athleticism but also reaffirmed Boardriders' commitment to nurturing and uplifting SA's unique surf community, where heritage and performance meet lifestyle and identity.'
Surfing SA vice-president and contest director Anne Wright said: 'The 2025 Billabong SA Longboard Championships was one of the most exciting contests I've been involved with.
'We had great weather and great waves solidly, for five days.
'Everyone surfed so well, and to watch young surfers like Emma Schermbrucker, who's going to have a great future, was so wonderful for us.
'This contest goes from Under-14 to super vets, and the longboard community is so amazing.
'A big thanks to Billabong, without whom this wouldn't have been possible. And I'm so thankful to the locals for giving up their break for the past five days — Lower Point has been firing.
'We look forward to getting back here next year and look forward to next year.'
The event was sanctioned by Surfing SA, supported by Kouga Municipality, and powered by supporting partners True Technologies, Pili Pili, Vissla and Aquella. — Billabong SA Longboarding Champs