South African Bodyboarding Championships 2026 — Day One Report
The 2026 South African Bodyboarding Championships got underway on Monday at Derdesteen, with riders from across the country facing a challenging opening day of small, testing surf, freezing water and relentless Cape Town wind.
With the national titles up for grabs, competitors had to adapt immediately to conditions that demanded patience, wave selection, and the ability to put together combinations when the opportunity presented itself.
The surf was running at around 2–3 feet, with water temperatures hovering around 13°C. By the afternoon, the wind was pumping at nearly 50 knots, making conditions increasingly difficult for riders and challenging for everyone working on the beach.
But despite the conditions, Day One produced plenty of action.
A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GETS UNDERWAY
Before competition began, representatives from the different regions at the championships came together for a symbolic sand ceremony.
Sand from each of the five regions competing at the championships — CTBA representing the Western Province, CWB the Overberg, Eden the Southern Cape, NMBB the Eastern Cape and EBA KwaZulu-Natal — was brought together in a single container before being collectively released into the ocean at Derdesteen. A simple but powerful symbol of the regions coming together as one national bodyboarding community.
It was a fitting way to begin a national championship — different regions, different teams and different histories coming together to compete for the same titles.
Once competition got underway, the focus quickly shifted to the water.
The opening rounds featured competition across the Juniors, Pro, Men’s, Boys, Masters and Grandmasters divisions, with riders working hard to find scoring opportunities in inconsistent conditions.
And some riders wasted little time making their mark.
BIG SCORES AND BIG COMBINATIONS
Finn Randall produced one of the standout performances of the opening Pro round, posting a heat total of 12.50, including a 6.57-point ride.
Tiaan Hoeben was another early standout, scoring 11.84 in his Pro Round 1 heat, built around waves of 6.17, 5.67 and 5.10.
In the Masters division, Paul Basson put together an impressive 12.06, including two major scoring waves of 5.83 and 6.23.
The younger divisions were equally competitive.
Renier Laubschagne posted an 11.44 in Boys Round 1, while Juniors saw strong performances from Finn Randall, Leo Molligan, Liam Stander and Tyler Bircher.
But scores were only part of the story.
With the judges looking for combinations, riders were being tested not simply on whether they could find a good wave, but on whether they could turn limited opportunities into complete scoring rides.
TYLER BIRCHER PRODUCES THE MOMENT OF THE DAY
The most dramatic finish of Day One came in the Juniors.
Tyler Bircher entered the final stages of his Round 1 heat with work still to do. Nathan Watkins had built a strong challenge, and the heat was heading towards its conclusion.
Then, in the dying moments, Bircher found the wave he needed.
A 6.00-point final wave lifted his total to 9.67, allowing him to edge past Watkins on 8.50 and take the heat by just 1.17 points.
It was the kind of finish that captures what national championship competition is about: the result can change on a single wave, right until the final seconds.
And Bircher wasn’t the only rider to experience that kind of pressure.
THE CLOSE CALLS
Day One produced several extremely tight heats.
The closest finish of the day came in the Boys division, where Blaize van Rooyen edged Trent Parish by just 0.03 points — 4.87 to 4.84.
In the Men’s division, Francois du Preez survived another nail-biter, defeating Sihle Xaba 7.40 to 7.23, a margin of just 0.17.
The Masters division produced another thriller, with Johan De Goede taking his heat by only 0.19 points, finishing on 8.36 ahead of Lennie Muller on 8.17.
These margins underline just how little separates riders at a national championship.
One wave, one score, one decision from the judges can change the entire heat.
A TOUGH DAY AT THE OFFICE
For competitors, Day One was about more than simply finding scores.
The cold water, shifting conditions and increasingly powerful wind made every session physically demanding. For the event crew, judges, photographers, livestream team and organisers, the opening morning also brought the inevitable production challenges that come with putting a national championship on the beach.
But as the day progressed, the event settled into its rhythm.
Heats rolled through the divisions, riders adapted to the conditions, and the championship began to take shape.
By the end of the day, the beach had delivered everything from dominant performances to razor-thin finishes — and plenty of evidence that nobody will be able to take anything for granted over the remaining days.
AND THEN THERE WAS THE WIND
By the afternoon, the Derdesteen wind had become a competitor in its own right.
With gusts reaching around 50 knots, conditions on the beach became increasingly demanding as the final heats made their way through the schedule.
Eventually, the last riders came out of the water, the equipment was packed away, and Day One drew to a close.
Competitors left the beach cold, sunburnt, windburnt, exhausted — and, for many, thoroughly stoked.
Because this is only the beginning.
TOMORROW, THE CHAMPIONSHIP MOVES ON
One of the unique challenges of the 2026 SA Bodyboarding Championships is that this is a roaming national championship.
The next venue is not necessarily known until the morning, with the decision based on the conditions and what the ocean delivers.
So, as Day One comes to an end, the competitors know only one thing for certain:
They’ll be back on the beach early tomorrow.
The waves will be different.
The conditions will change.
And the race to become South African Champion 2026 continues.
Day One is done. Four days remain.
WITH THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS AND EVENT PARTNERS
The 2026 South African Bodyboarding Championships would not be possible without the support of the organisations, businesses and partners who have got behind South African bodyboarding and the riders competing for national honours.
CTBA would like to sincerely thank Simple Bru Coffee Co, Mstar Distribution, South African Bodyboarding Association (SABA), Back 2 Nature, Execuneed, Roasted and Raw, Melkbos Country Club, Surfing South Africa (SSA), Sealand Gear, dors, Atlantic Surf Co, Boardlife Surf Shop, Melkbosch Guesthouse, OK Melkbosstrand, Astron Freshstop, Melkbos Fisheries and Havaianas for their contribution to making this championship possible.
From supporting the event infrastructure and production to backing the riders and helping create a platform worthy of a national championship, your support makes a real difference.
Thank you for believing in South African bodyboarding, supporting our riders, and helping us bring the 2026 SA Bodyboarding Championships to life.