MARK CARRELS and CRAIG JARVIS
Le Pront, McNicol reign at Royal St Andrews SA Open Surfing Championships as Laverge puts in a serious shift
Prolific title-winning SA women’s surfer, Louise Le Pront of KZN gave notice she would not be taking the foot off the pedal after winning the Royal St Andrews SA Open Women’s Surfing title at a wild and woolly East Beach in Port Alfred on Friday April 18.
Along with the grand 1st prize, she celebrated another trophy with her Ethekwini team members who won the team event from Buffalo City Surfriders,
In the men’s section it was Haydn McNichol who says he shook off a bad accident on the way to the contest, which resulted in his vehicle being written off, stormed to a maiden men’s SA Open Surfing title.
Le Pront surfing under the banner of Ethekwini, shook off the attentions of her finals rivals showing great powers of resilience, fitness and determination to handle with aplomb a pumping right-hander pushing huge swells off West Beach Pier, made all the more difficult by a gusting on-shore breeze.
Le Pront, who is only 17, says she is putting the win behind her for now and is fully focused on the Royal St Andrews Rip Curl Grom Search and Rip Curl Cup competitions which immediately followed the SA Open Surfing competition. She is defending the Rip Curl Cup after her win at the same venue last year.
“I am so happy … the waves were really tricky and I am really fortunate to come away with the win,” said Le Pront. And now it’s on to the next, I’ve got to clear the board and do my best in the (Rip Curl Grom Search) heats.”
Le Pront’s rival, Natasha van Greunen, was in the lead until the last minute when LePront picked up a bomb and executed a solid crack on her backhand. It was an agonising wait for the score, but it was enough to put her in the lead as the final siren sounded.
Van Greunen was a close second with Aimee de Preez in third and Louise’s sister, Leah, securing fourth spot.
“I saw that wave coming and I was just lucky that Tash didn’t get it,” said Le Pront. I managed to do a decent backhand turn, made it, and got the score at the last minute. So stoked to get the win.”
With conditions contestable but very difficult to judge the perfect set due to swirling winds and the tricky surf, conditioning is important for surfers like Le Pront.
“You have to stay fit and read the ocean before going in and know where to go out and where to sit. I’m really fortunate to have a couple of coaches to point me out to the right spots,” she said.
McNicol in the men’s final, returned strong with a good opening ride after local Kowie Boardriders surfer, Andrew Laverge, who was competing in the colours of Ilembe this year, kicked off battle with a six-point ride that put everyone into combat mode.
As McNicol was doing the run around after his second wave, the announcer called his scores, which put him in first.
Despite a determined comeback from Laverge and flashes of brilliance from Mitch du Preez and Clinton Gravett, McNicol stayed in the lead to grasp the 2025 Men’s SA Open title with both hands with Laverge in second spot..
“I’m super stoked to come away with the win … conditions are really tough out there,” said McNicol. “But there’s really good waves … Port Alfred’s always got good waves and the other guys really pushed me in the final .. yeah, I’m just super stoked to come away with my first SA Open Champs title and it’s one of my favourite places to surf,” said Mc Nicol.
Laverge who deservedly won the surfer of the contest title, along with his second place was over the moon with his achievements. Surfing powerfully with confidence, Laverge had a good run in the tournament pushing into the quarters and the semis early on Friday morning. Laverge said in the semis he got “one good wave off the bat and sat until the last five minutes and achieved a 1.2 score afterwards after needing only a 0.5 score to breeze through to the final.
“I’m stoked hey .. to think among all the top SA surfers I came second,” said Laverge. “I was expecting just to win some heats … and see what happens. But to come in second I am just super stoked. We see these conditions all the time in the Kowie but we never really surf them … it’s so weird the wind is just blowing the wave all around you and sometimes it just gets bumpy.”
Unfortunately there was going to be no repeat for the Eastern Cape contingent after their unique treble last time out in Vic Bay as Kowie Boardriders’ 2024 SA men’s Open champion, Tom Lindhorst, fell out in earlier rounds. The Buffalo City Surfriders conceded the team title to Ethekwini and Laverge surfed with Ilembe, though the Kowie resident will have the Eastern Cape claiming him as one of their own.
Focus now turns to the RipCurl Grom Search and Rip Curl Cup Open surfing competitions, where top class surfing from future surfing stars will take centrestage.
