SA Kneelos held their annual gathering from 4 to 6 May at Victoria Bay. The majority of the competitors arrived on Friday the 4th and were met with a some what messy 5ft easterly swell. There were some very confused looks from the locals many saying they had never ever seen so many kneeboarders at one time. That evening at the opening ceremony saw all those gathered honouring South Africa’s biggest kneeboarding ambassador, Gig Celliers. The award was in recognition to all Gigs has done for kneeboarding locally and internationally.
With the SA Kneelo gathering now becoming an established annual event, this year saw the introduction of a competitive element to the weekend with a 3-heat mini contest being run in ideal conditions. The pulling on of vests fanned competitive flames not seen for many years, with future star Jedd McNeilage taking the honours on a bomb in the dying minutes of the final. This bodes well for the sport as conversation that evening turned to planning a team for the Kneeboard World Champs in New Zealand in 2020. While Kneeboarding still remains small compared to other surfing codes what this years’ gathering confirmed is the desire for South African riders to reclaim a seat on the international stage.
Contest winner – Jedd McNeilage. Photo – Kara Bruins-Roberson
Gigs Celliers on a dust bottle opener. Photo – Kara Bruins-Roberson