Heny crowned King of the Kowie
| TOP SPOTS: Jolene Mitchley won the ladies' division in the latest King of the Kowie surfing series, and Warwick Heny won the open division, again earning the title King of the Kowie Picture: JON HOUZET |
Heny was presented with a beautiful floating trophy made byKBC chairmanMickey Witthuhn while Witthuhn was off sick recovering from back surgery.
After numerous attempts to try and hold the final King of the Kowie for the 2011/2012 season in continued rough seas, strong rips and currents or howling onshore winds, the final was eventually held last Saturday in some solid four to five foot waves at East Beach.
The contest started at 8am sharp by contest director Witthuhn.
"It was going to be a long day with 24 heats of surfing to run,” he said.
"For the first time in the nine years of the Kowie Boardriders' existence the top surfers in the various heats were seeded through to the next round without having surfed a heat.”
There were nine divisions in total, with the youngest surfer being eight-year-old Kye Macgregor and the eldest being Dr Jerome Boulle coming in at a young 61.
"As the tide got lower the rip increased and with the sets breaking it became more difficult for the surfers to paddle directly out again. On numerous occasions the surfers were seen running around and jumping off the pier again,” said Witthuhn.
The swell remained at four foot the entire day, but the predicted onshore wind arrived in the afternoon making the waves a little more bumpy and choppy.
One of the highlights of the day was young Kye McGregor paddling with his dad, local ripper Dave, to the backline and catching one of the biggest waves of his budding surfing career.
"Local rippers Warwick Heny and Anton Wiersma also had some insane barrels with Warwick scoring the highest score of the day, posting a 8.5 out of a possible 10,” said Witthuhn.
The prize giving was held after the KBC AGM at Guido's. Pizza was on the club then surfers hit the dance floor with a successful disco.
| SURFING FAMILY: Dave Macgregor (left) won the Over 40 and the longboard divisions of the recent King of the Kowie surf series, while his son Kye won the groms division Picture: JON HOUZET |
Open: 1. Warwick Heny 2. Andrew Donaghy 3. Dane Cox 4. Tim Waller
U20: 1. Dane Cox 2. Josh Kidd 3. MJ Neave 4. Cuan McGregor
Over 30: 1. Andrew Donaghy 2. Anton Wiersma 3. Steve Palmer 4. Malcolm Robertson
Over 40: 1. Dave Macgregor
Over 50: Jerome Boulle 2. Mickey Witthuhn 3. John Burman 4. Jannie du Preez
Groms: 1. Kye Mc Gregor and a tie for second place between Kaine Heny, Luke Swart and Matthew Sinclair
Ladies: 1. Jolene Mitchley and a tie for second place between Kaiti Allison and Alex Brits
Longboard: 1. Dave Macgregor 2. Mike Hayes 3. Richard Heny 4. Mickey Witthuhn
Kneeboard: 1. Anton Wiersma 2. Brad Labuschagne 3. Steve Palmer
The KBC has agreed to take a six month break and start their new season in January 2013.
