Cape Town — 29 September 2026
Soundtrack: Scare Bears by Swatting Bats. A local bodyboarder punk band from Fish Hoek.
Music for bodyboarders by bodyboarders
Day Two of the 2026 South African Bodyboarding Championships belonged largely to the next generation, as cleaner, smaller surf at DerdeSteen gave the youngest competitors ideal conditions to showcase their skills.
The wind died, the clouds disappeared, and the temperature climbed, transforming the conditions from Monday’s wind-whipped opening day. The surf was smaller than Day One, but considerably cleaner — perfect for the younger divisions that worked their way through the morning programme.
A Beach Built for the Next Generation
For the kids, the beach was every bit as important as the water.
After a day of wind and sun on Monday, Back to Nature, the event’s sunblock sponsor, distributed sunblock among the hordes of sun-soaked young competitors. Shade became a major priority as temperatures rose. At the same time, the beach itself developed a distinctly festival-like atmosphere, with provincial team gazebos, banners, sponsor activations and music flowing across the sound system.
The day belonged largely to the younger divisions, with Boys U12, U10 and U8, and the Girls U16, U10 and U8/U12 divisions all taking centre stage. The conditions suited the younger riders, but there was no shortage of serious competition.
Big Scores and Small Margins
Willem Kruger produced the biggest score of the day in Boys U12, posting 14.66 in Round Two, while Max Labuschagne also broke into double figures with 10.00. Hunter Bouffe made one of the day’s biggest improvements, jumping from 3.67 in Round One to 11.16 in Round Two.
The girls matched that intensity. Maria Olivier posted 9.83 in the Girls U8/U12 division, while Kit Makepeace took her Girls U10 Round Two heat with 8.50. In the Girls U16 division, McKayla Boucher reversed the result from the opening round to take the second-round heat ahead of Klara Schoonraad.
The Boys U10 and U8 divisions delivered their own highlights, with Remy Zaroozny posting 13.00 and Renier Laubschagne producing 13.16 in the Boys division. One of the tightest heats of the day came in Boys U8, where Finn van der Merwe edged Zian Janse van Rensberg by just 0.16.
The Ladies division was equally competitive, with Suzie Husselmann putting together a 10.70 heat in Round Two and Lezandre Wolmerans answering with 10.50 in the following heat.
Across the divisions, the scorecards told the same story: the standard was high, the margins were often tiny and every wave mattered. There were also a noticeable number of interference calls, adding another layer of pressure to a day where the competition was fierce from the youngest riders through to the veterans.
The Old Guard Brings the History
By afternoon, the focus shifted to the more experienced generations.
The Masters produced some of the day’s strongest scores, including Ryan Marlin’s 12.66, while Paul Basson and Lennie Muller went head-to-head in a particularly tight heat, separated by just 0.40.
The Grandmasters brought the history and rivalry of decades of South African bodyboarding into the water, with Saul Basckin posting 11.00 and Michael “Mike” van Huyssteen recording 9.33.
The late afternoon brought a golden-hour glow to the Grandmasters as the older generation battled it out against a backdrop that made for some of the day’s most striking images.
Rivalry on the Sand, History in the Booth
Away from the competition, the interprovincial rivalry revealed another entertaining tradition: stealing the opposition’s mascot and holding it to ransom.
It added another degree of mischief to the rivalry playing out across the beach. On the sand, it was all smiles and sneaky mascot missions. In the water, it was business.
There was also a moment of genuine South African bodyboarding history in the commentary booth.
Mike van Huyssteen spent time with the commentary team when presenter Pierre Marqua surprised him with a vintage Lazer 2 MJ from Pierre’s own collection, dating back to the late 1980s.
One of the early signature boards associated with van Huyssteen, it was sold to the South African bodyboarding community during a formative period for the sport — at a time when the country remained under international sanctions because of the apartheid government.
Pierre asked van Huyssteen to sign the board, creating a unique piece of personal and bodyboarding history that will remain in Pierre’s collection.
The board is more than a piece of sporting memorabilia; it is a reminder of how South African bodyboarding developed despite the isolation of the era.
Day Three: Heat, Shade and More Competition
Tomorrow, the Championships continue at DerdeSteen, with temperatures forecast to reach around 36°C.
Shade, hydration and sun protection will become increasingly important as the event moves into its third day.
But if Day Two demonstrated anything, it is that the future of South African bodyboarding is already here.
The youngest riders are not simply watching the national championship.
They are becoming part of it.
Day 3 Photo gallery
Photos by Ansurette Pretorius, Manie aka Justasurferdude and Greg Chapman aka Chappypix
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The CTBA and SA Bodyboarding Championships would like to thank all the sponsors and partners whose support makes this event possible, and especially those who continue to invest in the development of South African bodyboarding and its next generation of riders.
Headline Sponsors: Lesedi, Western Cape Government, Havaianas and Simpe Bru Coffee.
Supporting Sponsors: Sealand Gear, Dors, Brand With Us, Afritech, Melkbosch Guesthouse, SABA and SSA.
Event Partners: Boardlife, Atlantic Surf, Mstar, Island Style, OK Melkbos Foods, Astron Fresh Stop, Melkbos Fisheries, Back2Nature, Execuneed, Roasted & Raw and Melkbos Country Club.
Thank you for helping us tell the story of South African bodyboarding.