Madibaz surfers aim to take back title

[caption id="attachment_36876" align="alignright" width="405"] HOME WAVES: Scott Lenton will be in action for the Madibaz during the annual Ussa surfing tournament[/caption]

THE Billabong Madibaz surfing team will have a score to settle when they take on some of South Africa's best in their own backyard during next week's University Sport South Africa (Ussa) tournament.

Seven of the country's top surfing universities will battle it out from June 25 to 27 on some of the most epic waves that only Victoria Bay – just a stone's throw from the NMMU George campus – can dish up.

The institution's Port Elizabeth-based team has dominated this longstanding tournament with successive victories since 2009. They narrowly missed their fifth consecutive title after losing to the University of Cape Town last year.

"We have a strong team and a good shot at taking back the title," Madibaz Sport's aquatic manager Melinda Goosen said. "I think we are going to see some fierce competition with an exciting final."

The two campuses will take on the title-holders, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Varsity College, Rhodes University and the University of Stellenbosch.

The eight-person teams, comprising both men and women, will go head-to-head in several heats and show off their skills to a panel of Surfing SA-accredited judges.

Despite losing the team prize, the Madibaz made their mark in the individual competition last year when George's Roxy Giles won the women's category. According to Goosen, she would once again be a force to be reckoned with.

In the men's category, Goosen said she expected a strong showing from Billabong Madibaz No 1 Josh Saunders.