by Elza | Oct 4, 2018 | Uncategorized
With just one sailor on Team SA at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the pressure will be on Rut Gouws next week.
But the Stilbaai kiteboarder seems to thrive under pressure – having had to come through the continental qualification process, where only a win was good enough to book her spot on the team.
Having already achieved that win in Morocco earlier this year, hearing her name officially announced by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) as part of Team SA was something Gouws will remember for a long time.
‘I didn’t have words. It was just amazing and it felt like all the effort that has been put in is finally worth it and everybody who helped, got the reward we were working for,’ explained the 15-year-old.
‘I just want to thank SA Sailing, the SA Kitesurfing Association, all my sponsors and especially my mom and dad who helped on the journey to get me here.
‘It’s such a huge opportunity that I can’t decide what I will enjoy more, but probably seeing and feeling and experiencing a new culture would be my favourite thing to do.’
With kiteboarding set to be added to the senior Olympic programme for Paris 2024, this will also be the first time it’s contested at the youth version of the global showpiece. And Gouws has just one goal in mind: ‘I hope to walk away knowing that I gave it my best.’
A lack of windy conditions has proved something of a challenge in the talented teenager’s preparations for the Games.
‘Without wind in SA it was hard to train on the water, but I trained really hard off the water, and kept my health and fitness up. We did go to Mozambique to train and it was successful but I wish SA had more wind,’ she admitted.
The SA team left Johannesburg for Argentina on Tuesday, with the sailing events due to get underway on Sunday.
For Gouws, who will be competing in the IKA Twin Tip Racing class, reaching the Youth Olympics was a goal in itself, but there’s plenty more she’s out to achieve.
‘The long-term goal is to reach the point of perfection, although I am well aware there is always something that a person can do to improve. I will still strive for that point, knowing it can never be fully reached.’
That is part of the appeal of the sport – along with the exhilaration it offers. What’s there not to love? I love everything, the thrill, adrenaline and family it created is just amazing,’ reckons Gouws.
‘It’s not just a sport, it’s a lifestyle, and you either have a passion for it or you don’t. You just have to commit and enjoy every second you’re on the water.’
(Article from www.teamsa.co.za)
PHOTO: Gouws doing what she loves best, by Maio Arias
End
by Elza | Aug 15, 2018 | Uncategorized
Looking back at the 19th Vintner’s Surf Classic that took place on Friday, 10th August in Stilbaai.
Author: SPIKE
“For 19 years, winemakers have run the Vintners Surf Classic, with last Friday’s epic edition at Stilbaai signalling a bold plan to raise R1million for a cancer treatment charity,” writes SPIKE on www.wavescape.co.za.
“While it wasn’t quite the thumping 12 foot carnage of last year, it was a bumper turnout of 67 surfers from all walks of the wine industry who enjoyed a classic winter’s day, and the usual wine barrel bonhomie, interlaced with bouts of surfing in clean 3-4′ lines pushing down the point, with some five footers on the outside as the surf improved with the pushing tide.
The weather wasn’t great, with heavy squalls in the morning washing over the mud-spattered, white double cabs lining the car park, but the weather cleared in the afternoon in time for wine tasting, beer drinking and the normal root stock banter. More importantly, the wind stayed offshore the whole day.
And what about the world-class waves the next morning at a fishy surf spot: 6-8ft and gangbusters in an epic land breeze and walling low tide. About 20 frothing vintners boosted their odds of survival at the break, which normally lies fallow due to frequent flyer fears of visits by Sir Fin and Mr Torpedo.”
Read the rest of SPIKE’s blog
here – he ends off with these words of thanks: “
And then especially to all the local Stillbaai surfers for allowing us to host this contest on their breaks. R5,280 has been donated by the contestants towards improving and maintaining the facilities at the breaks.”
Thank you to the Vintners Surf Classic for choosing Stilbaai and Jongensfontein for your annual surf competition.
See you all again next year for the 20th
Vintner’s Surf Classic !!
MOTLEY CREW: The surfing winemakers pose for a pic after the finals. Photo: Nice Touch Media
by Elza | Aug 14, 2018 | Uncategorized
Spring is in the air (although we still feel the winter in August) and the flowers are blooming in Stilbaai!
The yellow flowers of the #Bietou (or Tick Berry or Bosluisbessie or Weskusbietou) as well as the white and blue #Blombos and shrubs along the beach are pretty sights along the coast and in town.
#ThingsToDo – do your own flower trip in Stilbaai and see how many different flowers you can see!
(Photo by Juanita van Papendorp via Instagram)
by Elza | Jul 18, 2018 | Uncategorized
Who said winter in Stilbaai is cold and miserable and rainy where you are spending more time indoors than at the beach or on the hiking trails or anywhere outdoors?
Wrong…
Look at these awesome photos taken by Riël Tredoux while visiting Stilbaai during July and you might agree that there is so much to see and do if you look around you. And if you can not snap it, then just enjoy the beauty.
Look at the photo album HERE
Have a look at the Things To Do section to find a few suggestions.
Get out and explore – no matter the weather!
by Elza | Jul 18, 2018 | Uncategorized
It is not often that two beacons in Stilbaai are as open and ‘exposed’ like this past weekend (14 – 16 July 2018).
Friday the 13th July was New Moon with Spring Tide on Saturday / Sunday which means the water was extremely high with high tide and very low during low tide.
The monument, or referred to as ‘The Steentjie‘ by locals, at the west beach (close to the harbour) was completely open while the Preekstoel on the far east also had no water around it.
