source : www.jbaynews.com

JBU Surf Club is proud to announce the Jeffreys Bay Winter Fest, an extreme sports festival set in Jeffreys Bay and environs, and anchored by the Surfing South Africa sanctioned Jeffreys Bay Open Of Surfing.

The Jeffreys Bay Winter Fest is set to include a mountain biking race, a skating event, an open water swim challenge, a running event and music, and promises to be an exciting week for the town of Jeffreys Bay.

“We’re just happy to be able to facilitate such an event for the town of Jeffreys Bay,” said JBU Surf Club Chairperson Arthur Joubert. “We’re also very proud to witness the local surf community of Jeffreys Bay embrace it in such a positive way in its inaugural year when it is basically a small and untested event, but we are determined to make it a great success. This year will be the first of many Winter Fests, and our festival will grow from strength to strength each year.”

The key tournament of the Winter Fest will be the Jeffreys Bay Open Of Surfing presented by Billabong, an invite-only Pro Surf Tour specialty surfing competition that has been sanctioned by Surfing South Africa, the governing body of the sport in South Africa. Proceeds from the entry fees will go to The Supertubes Surfing Foundation.

Surfers who want to compete in this contest are reminded to go the event Facebook page Jeffreys Bay Open Of Surfing and put their name down as a possible entry. Entries close on 10 June.

The JBU Club, together with Surfing South Africa, will then select the 64 men and 8 women for the event, as well as an alternate list. If you get invited, the registration process and entry fee payment will take place on the Surfing South Africa website.

Instructions on how to enter will be on your invite. All successful candidates will be required to affiliate as members of the Surfing South Africa PST. Details of how to join the PST are available on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

One surfer who is no stranger to the perfect walls of Jeffreys Bay is Cape Town based surfer and giant killer Sean Holmes. Affectionately known as ‘The Nemesis’ as a result of former world champion – beating performances, Sean is excited about this contest. “I think it’s pretty awesome that the town of Jeffreys Bay has come together to present this event for 2013,” said Holmes. “It’s a positive thing that local surfers have the opportunity to come down with their familes and present themselves and their surfing on one of the best waves in the world. I’m really looking forward to this event, I just hope I crack the nod from the contest organisers.”

Along with all the activities, there will also be the Wavescape Swell Courses for those of us who want to learn more about surf, where it comes from and perhaps more importantly, when it’s coming. Details to follow. Check on www.wavescape.co.za for more.

The tournament is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa. Surfing South Africa is recognised by the South African Sports Confederation (SASCOC) as the governing body of the sport in South Africa.