Vic Bay Quad in Memory of John Pfaff this weekend

GEORGE NEWS - A wave of surfers will be riding into Vic Bay on Thursday 26 May to take part in the annual 'Vic Bay Quad in Memory of John Pfaff'.

The contest has become one of the most popular events on the Surfing South Africa calendar and this year Eden Surfriders are going to be charging hard as they defend the championship title.

The Eden team lifted the trophy in 2021 and they're looking to do the same this year as they field a strong team of surfers that have been in training over the last few months, under the watchful eye of local legend and team coach, Leonard Giles.

In preparation for a major contest like this, the districts run trials in the months preceding the event to select their best surfers within the age categories of Over 60, Over 50, Over 45, Over 40, Over 30, Open Women and Open Men. Eden will be competing against surfers from Nelson Mandela Bay, Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Buffalo City in all these categories.

The cream of the surfing crop is represented at the event and Vic Bay will be bristling with activity and anticipation as the bakkies start pulling in and the contest gets underway.

The first surfers paddle out on Friday 27 May and the heats keep rolling until midday on Sunday 29 May. Come rain or shine, the surfers will be in the water, jostling for the best waves.

Live scoring will be broadcast throughout the contest so that spectators along the point can keep track of the points and test their own skill at scoring waves.

It's a very different event to the first Vic Bay Quad, which took place over four decades ago. Then it was called the Quad or "Quadrangular" because there were just four competing districts.

Local surfers and founding fathers Leonard Giles, Rob Wiese, Archie Swanson, Alan van Rensburg and John Pfaff were at the helm of what was then Southern Cape Surfing Association, but is known today as Eden Surfriders.

When John Pfaff passed away in 2010 he was honoured in the most special way, by naming the Vic Bay Quad after him.

The Vic Bay Quad in Memory of John Pfaff continues to grow into one of the largest amateur surf contests in South Africa, thanks to the support given by the Eden Sports Council, the Western Cape Government and George Tourism.

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It's an honour to host an event of this magnitude on our doorstep and we encourage everyone, young or old, to head to the beach this weekend to support our local surfers.