GEORGE SURF NEWS - 12-year-old Katie van Niekerk, a promising young surfer from Surfends Surf School in Vic Bay, was stoked to surf a few days in the company of local Jeffreys Bay champion, Ryan Lightfoot. Lightfood currently holds five longboarding surf titles.

When asked about her experience, she said that Ryan was not only humble and kind, but very compassionate towards people and animals. She spent four hours a day in training sessions with him.

Ryan and his brother Dylan started a "Feed JBay campaign" during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Martyn Emmink, Katie's s coach in Vic Bay, said seeing her progress from surfing in the white water a year ago to charging five-foot waves out at Vic Bay Point has been nothing short of incredible. 

"Katie is always out there smiling, no matter the wipe-outs, the big duck dives or the long paddles. She's just happy to be in the water. In my opinion that's what makes a great surfer. I'm really excited to see what the future holds for her."

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