The coveted 2014 Billabong SA Interclub Championships title may have changed hands, but it is not leaving J-Bay any time soon after the local Jeffrey’s Bay Underground Surf Club emerged top dog in tricky surf at Kitchen Windows this weekend.

JBU Surf Club took out the title at this weekend’s Billabong SA Interclub Championships.

The JBU rippers included top local surf coaches Kelvin Zehmke and Shannon Ainslie, red hot grom talent Rewaldo Abersalie and Joshe Faulkner and Jelaine Hermitte.

Although they started day one slowly, JBU ended day two on fire by taking out the win in tricky onshore surf.

A talented mix of hot young groms from nearby Pelsrus – who cut their teeth at Kitchen Windows – and older J-Bay rippers, the Underground chargers were also not short of local support either as surf city big guns Koffie Jacobs, Knuckles D’Agostino, Dan Thornton, Tyrone Smith and other club stalwarts willed their team to top spot on the winners podium.

The rivalry between 2013 winners J-Bay Boardriders and the JBU was intense as both clubs pulled out all the stops to try bag the bragging rights and emerge King of the Clubs.

Coached by top local shaper Thys Strydom – who also sponsors many of the area’s hottest young talent, including an army of Pelrus groms – JBU were made to sweat for their win as the red hot rippers from Port Elizabeth club CYOH made a strong charge for top honours.

The talented Create Your Own Happening tag team were on fire in the water on day one posting the highest heat scores and emerged as top out of town favourites to take the crown away from J-Bay.

The teams line up for the final.

Another team that looked menacing – along with fellow finalists the J-Bay Boardriders B team – was the West Coast Surf Club chargers lead by respected board shaper Dutchie.

Although only four teams made the finals, the event would not have been the huge success it was if it was not for the other eight teams who clocked up the miles to get to J-Bay and represent their clubs – even if bagging the win was an impossible dream for some.

The talented Kowie Boardrders team and the J-Bay Boardriders Club A team came close to making the finals, while minnows Sunset Surf Club from Port Elizabeth surprised many by making it through day one – even though their team contained the youngest and oldest competitors, 10 year-old grom Kye Macgregor and 56 year-old Foozie Jappie.

Although the event kicked off on both days in small but contestable two to four-foot waves, conditions later deteriorated as the onshore came up. Even though conditions were not ideal later on both days the standard of surfing was still top notch.

Twelve teams representing eleven Surf Clubs from all parts of the South African coast participated in the second annual Interclub Surfing Championships thanks to generous sponsorship from Billabong, supported by the department of Sport and Recreation South Africa.

Presented by Surfing South Africa, the event was hosted by the J-Bay Boardriders, who are members of Eastern Province Surfing Council.

As 2014 winners the JBU get to choose the venue for next year’s event.

Using a tag team format, each team of four men surfers and one female had to sprint to the water, paddle out the back, catch two waves – and then make it back to the beach to tag the next surfer – with the heat finished in 50 minutes. Failure to complete the tags or catch the required waves lead to points penalties.

JBU took top spot followed by Cyoh – who also won the team spirit award – Weskus Boardriders and J-Bay Boardriders B team.
During the event funds were also raised for former international surfer Simon Nicholson’s wife Jess – who is undergoing cancer treatment – thanks to a generous hamper donation of product from Billabong, Da Kine and Von Zipper.

R1550 was raised through the sale of raffle tickets and a further R3000 was added to the collection thanks to a generous donation by Natural Energy Surf Club.

Private donations can still be made by going to www.gofundme.com/jessgetwellsoon