Local knowledge was front and centre at the 11th edition of the Tigers Milk Winter Classic which was held in Muizenberg from May 29th to 31st, as six of the seven titles on offer went the way of surfers from Cape Town.
In the Open Men’s shortboard division, Paul Sampson, turned the tables on 2025 winner, Joshua Myburgh, to take the victory this year. Sampson also posted 18.53 points (out of 20) in his quarter final round which was the highest heat score in the contest.
The Muizenberg local has been making a big impression in international events held in Africa over the last two years and underlined this experience and talent with a dominant performance in small, contestable surf over the three days of competition.
Another Muizenberg local, Ntando Nqadala, came third and Brad Scott was fourth in the final.
Talented National Junior Team member, Emily Jenkinson, made it back to back wins at the Tigers Milk Winter Classic when she won gold in the Open Women’s shortboard Final, beating National Team member and World Qualifying Series campaigner Natasha van Greunen into second place. Camilla Heuer was third and Caitlin October came fourth.
Jenkinson’s 18 point score in the Final was the best score posted by a woman in the event and the second highest score overall.
Durban longboarder and National team member, Sam Christianson prevented the locals from making a clean sweep of the results when he successfully defended his 2025 Open Men’s Longboard crown. Three time Tigers Milk Champion and National Team member, Alfie Pieters was second, Nobel de Castro was third and Lorenzo Benn took fourth in this final.
Multiple Tigers Milk Women’s Longboard Champion, National Champion and National Longboard and Stand Up Paddle team member, Tarryn King added to her long list of wins when she beat up and coming talent Emma Schermbrucker into second place. 2025 winner Angelica Rosslind was third and former Tigers Milk champion and National team member, Cara Stubbs, was fourth.
Jonathan Rosslind added to his long list of Tigers Milk victories when he took gold in the Over 40 Longboard Final. Bennet Atkinson was second, Andrew Schmidt came third, Dirk Tolken was fourth and Whaldo de Kock came fifth in this division.
The Junior Novice title went to Koa King, son of a proud Women’s Longboard Champion, Tarryn while Fionn Gubbins was second, Emma Loggenberg came third, Leah Arendse came fourth and Aoife Gubbins was fifth.
Andrew Myburgh beat Mark Moir into second place in the Senior Novices Final while Ane Krogscheepers and Elena Fintisova were third and fourth respectively.
A singular highlight at the 2026 Tigers Milk Winter Classic was the presentation by the sponsors and Surfing South Africa of the traditional Tigers Milk Outreach Tag Team event involving over 40 girls and boys from a number of local surf schools that use surfing as a vehicle for change in their respective communities. This outreach event is part of Surfing South Africa’s ongoing transformation initiatives and sees young surfers competing in teams against each other over one or two rounds.
All the participants were awarded a medal and were invited to a meal at the Tigers Milk restaurant in Muizenberg at the completion of the programme on Friday May 29th.
For all the results of the 2026 Tigers Mi9lk Winter Classic from Round One to the Finals, go to www.liveheats.com/surfingsouthafrica
About Surfing South Africa
Surfing South Africa is the official National Federation for the sport of surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Confederation of Sport and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and is recognised as the governing body by the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. (DSAC)Surfing South Africa is responsible for the development of the sport, the hosting of National tournaments, the sanctioning of all International and National events and the selection of National teams in all the disciplines that are part of SSA.
SSA is a member of the African Surfing Confederation (ASC), Union of the Indian Oceans Surfing Federations (UIOSF) and the International Surfing Association (ISA), the World governing body for the sport.
Compiled by
Robin de Kock
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