Nelson Mandela Bay gets set to host 19th Billabong SA Grommet Games this Easter

OVER 150 surfers and officials representing eight provinces are making their way to the Friendly City of Port Elizabeth to participate in the 19th edition of the Billabong South African Grommet Games.
 
The four day tournament will get under way on Wednesday evening April 20 when the teams will gather at the Amphitheatre at the Boardwalk at 7pm for the official opening function.
 
Hosts Eastern Province Surfing Council have invited all local surfers to attend this special evening which will be used to reflect on last year’s successful event at Pollock Beach and to get this year’s championships off to a great start.
 
World Champion big wave rider, Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker is flying into Port Elizabeth courtesy of sponsors Billabong and is the guest speaker at the opening function.

This tournament, which began back in the early 1990’s, is a premier event on the Surfing South Africa calendar. Not only does it feature teams from all eight provinces but it also features surfers and officials from every surfing community in South Africa.

Introduced into South African surfing culture after unification, the Grommet Games is a transformation and development tournament  that gives young surfers from around the country an opportunity to compete for their various provinces in a major surfing contest for the first time.
 
Many South African surfers who began their competitive surfing careers in the Grommet Games have gone on to compete in high level National Championships and elite tournaments and a number have represented South Africa in International competitions.

Port Elizabeth has remained the venue for this important and significant championship for over 15 years due to the fact that it is situated midway between Durban and Cape Town. This means that most teams have to travel the same distance to participate.

In addition, the Pipe at Pollock Beach produces consistent, contestable conditions for surfers representing their provincial teams in their first ever national contest.

The SA Grommet Games is regarded by Surfing South Africa as a vital and important Surfing South Africa Championship and over the years it has taken its place alongside other major National events. It can now claim to be one of the defining tournaments on the Surfing South Africa calendar.

The youngest surfers in the contest will compete in the Under 8 Division with the oldest participants taking part in the competitive Under 16 boys and girls group.

Girls and boys from a variety of different cultures and communities are represented across the eight divisions and come from all parts of the South African coast. There are surfers from Trafalgar and Umzumbe on the KZN South Coast , Coffee Bay in the Transkei, Port St John’s, Jeffreys Bay, Macassar, Strandfontein, the Cape Flats, Richards Bay, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, the Garden Route, Strand and the Cape Peninsula.

The Grommet Games highlights the transformation process within Surfing South Africa and provinces are set strict criteria when it comes to selecting their teams.

While much of the focus is on surfing itself, events such as a paddle battle, beach flags and a tag team surfing competition will make up the activities that get under way on Thursday April 21 and end on Sunday April 24.
 
After the four days of fun and competition the most participative and successful team will win the Fair Play Trophy and the top team overall will take home the Mandela Bay Trophy, which is currently held by hosts Eastern Province.

In order to select the appropriate team for this event, provinces have held a series of trials and the result of this process is five wonderful days of social and competitive interaction. The added advantage of holding an event such as this is that Surfing South Africa is able to identify potential national and perhaps even future world champions. These talented surfers will be included in the National Development Academy for three years.

The members of this Academy will be mentored within their provincial structures and might even get their chance to compete in the National Junior Championships later in the year.

Eastern Province Surfing Council is the host province and defending champions. They will come up against teams from Western Province, KZN, Border, Boland, Southern Cape, Zululand and Southern KZN.
 
The Billabong SA Grommet Games is supported by Sport and Recreation South Africa and the National Lottery Distribution Fund.
 
It is presented by Surfing South Africa, the governing body for the sport in South Africa and a member of the International Surfing Association.