Zoetmulder and February standout on Day 3 of ISA World Surfing Games in Peru

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 28 October, 2014 - For the second successive day SA Surfing Team captain Michael February posted the highest heat score of the Men’s division at the Claro ISA 50th Anniversary World Surfing Games as the run of excellent overhead surf continued in Peru on Monday.

And in her first heat in Peru, Faye Zoetmulder (Port Elizabeth) showed her liking for the pumping waves by recording scores of 6.83 and 6.57 for a heat total of 13.40 out of 20, the fourth highest in the Women’s division.

Zoetmulder left second placed Cristina Vargas (ECU) requiring a near perfect 9.34 for the heat win as the top two advanced to Women’s Qualifying Round 2 while third and fourth placed Pamela Verboonen (MEX) and Sofia Loewy (COL) were relegated to the Repercharge rounds

February was on fire again in the big glassy peaks at Punta Rocas., delivering rides of 7.17 and 8.27 for a two wave heat total of 15.44 which left Peruvian standout and hometown favourite Gabriel Villaran 3.5 points adrift in second place. The pair progressed to Round 4 and are now amongst the last 12 competitors still in the Qualifying stream of the double-elimination format.

Meanwhile Tanika Hoffman (Hout Bay) narrowly missed out on second place in her opening encounter, earning 8.40 points to the 8.54 of second placed Karelle Poppke (TAH). Heat winner Dominic Barona (ECU) absolutely shredded the Punta Rocas lineup, racking up 18.23 points, the highest total of both the Men’s and Women’s divisions to date.

Hoffman will recommence her campaign in the Repercharge rounds, as will Casey Grant who also slipped to third place in his Round 3 clash. Grant will get going in Men’s Repercharge Round 4 and faces six grueling rounds to make his way into the Grand Final and earn a medal in Peru when the champions are crowned on Saturday.

South Africa remains among 14 national teams yet to have any of their team members eliminated from the event in their bid to accumulate the highest combined points total and successfully defend the Team Gold medal and the Fernando Aguerre World Team Trophy.

The team standings are set to undergo a major shake up to day as three rounds of Repercharge heats are on the schedule.

The Claro ISA 50th Anniversary World Surfing Games resumes today at 2:40pm (South African time) with The Morning Show hosted by “Vico” Hamel, with guests from Team Scotland and Russia.

Following the Morning Show, competition will feature: (South Africans in brackets)

12 heats:        Open Men’s Repercharge Round 2 (David Brand – Heat 3, David van Zyl – H5)
4 heats:          Open Women’s Repercharge Round 1(Tanika Hoffman – H3)
6 heats:          Open Men’s Repercharge Round 3 (TDB)

The 2014 South African Surfing Team is competing in Peru thanks to assistance from the Department of Sport and Recreation.

Surfing South Africa (SSA) is a member of the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and recognised by Sport and Recreation SA as the national governing body for the sport. SSA is a member of the International Surfing Association (ISA), the world’s governing body for surfing.