GEORGE SURFING NEWS - George Municipality will support local surfer and soon-to-be Olympian, Bianca Buitendag, who has qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games, in her quest to win a medal at the upcoming global event.
Owing to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the municipality decided to extend financial assistance to the local superstar in its bid to support local talent, while at the same time promoting George beaches such as Victoria Bay, Bianca’s surfing “headquarters”, as a premier surfing destination.
According to a statement by the municipality, Bianca is a well-seasoned surfer who has been competing on the World Surfing League (WSL) Championship Tour from 2013 to 2019 as South Africa’s top female surfer.
In 2019 she was the captain of the South African team at the International Surfing Association (ISA) 2019 World Championships where she finished third (bronze) and subsequently qualified for the Olympic Games together with Jordy Smith.
George offers some of the best surfing conditions owing to its high-performance waves at Victoria Bay and she hopes her efforts at the Olympics will be good enough to inspire young girls from across South Africa to pursue their dreams.
Out of the water, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accounting Management attained at North-Eastern University in Boston, USA.
Surfing will be featuring in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games for the first time ever and South Africa shall be represented by Bianca and Jordy Smith.
Bianca will be an ambassador for George and a key asset in promoting George as a tourist, and particularly a great surfing destination. The partnership will be the first of its kind for George Municipality, with the Olympic Games providing the perfect platform to promote George as the “Garden Route’s crown”.
Commenting on the significance of this partnership, Bianca said, “Having grown up and raised in Victoria Bay, it’s an absolute privilege to represent my community and make them proud as I compete at the Olympic Games”.
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George offers some of the best surfing conditions owing to its high-performance waves at Victoria Bay and she hopes her efforts at the Olympics will be good enough to inspire young girls from across South Africa to pursue their dreams.
George Municipality will benefit from Bianca’s significant social media following along with her support for locally based charity initiatives. She is currently involved in several local projects and hopes to make a bigger impact working much more closely with the municipality than ever before.
George Mayor Leon van Wyk said the municipality looks forward to partnering with Bianca to promote the town as an attractive tourist destination.
“Bianca’s profile and professionalism are exemplary to the kind of role models the town wishes to produce and inspire; we wish her all the best of luck at the Olympic Games,” he said.
George Tourism manager Joan Shaw said George is fortunate to have a high-calibre surfing beach and they are “delighted that our waves have played a role leading up to Bianca competing at the Olympics”.
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Calling this opportunity the pinnacle of Bianca’s surfing career so far, she said, “We are thrilled that a surfer at her level of influence will be promoting our destination to surfers worldwide as a preferred destination to enjoy the waves. We wish her all the best as she competes - George is rooting for you!”
Photos: Supplied
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