After six years of inactivity, Umhlanga’s history rich Wave Wizards surf club is up and running again and ready to ride a wave of success, writes Garth Johnstone
A hole was left in the fabric of the Umhlanga surfing community when, after its 20th year celebration in 2004, the Wave Wizards surfing club went dormant.
This was an institution that had served as a nursery for the local surfing community, producing more than 80 provincial surfers, numerous SA champs and even world champs in respective age divisions.
Among its more illustrious members are Chris Knutsen who collected five SA Open titles, was awarded his Springbok blazer nine times and brought home two World Masters championships. Other standout members include current co-sponsor Carl Roux, who has won similar accolades over the years, and Vince King, Greg Eisely and Richard Edy, who all added to the trophy cabinet.
While numbers fluctuated from year to year, according to longstanding former club chairman and “ambassador for Umhlanga surfing” Paul van de Wal, about 120 members were on the mailing list in its heyday.
The club’s greatest contribution, however, is to the local surfing community. Craig Butcher, who with his brother Ryan, recently elected chairman Jestyn Viljoen and a core of dedicated surfers, is helping drive the resurgence of the club, said it gave a local platform for aspiring young surfers on which to build successful sporting careers. “It gives them the opportunity to compete in a healthy environment. Umhlanga is a great beachgoing community and the surf club plays a vital role in channelling the youth’s energy in a positive direction.”
Craig said the club, which is associated with the Natal Surfing Association and Surfing South Africa, set the stage for healthy sporting competition between surfers of all ages and skills levels.
Ryan and Craig joined the surf club in 1992 with Craig going on to win numerous honours and gain national surfing colours twice over the years. Ryan gained provincial colours for surfing, Springbok colours for surf lifesaving and is a highly rated big wave surfer.
Wave Wizards will be using the brothers’ Hurricane surf store in Umhlanga Rocks as a base and the company will be backing the club via sponsorship. Other main sponsors include Hurley surfwear represented by club member and former SA masters champ Mike Frew, Carl’s Foods, Kulu swimwear, JD Bakeries and Public Address advertising and design.
Members describe the club as a fun family environment: “The master division today is full of the old guard of Wave Wizard stalwarts, and now their sons and daughter are ripping it up competing in the junior divisions. Their dads are keeping a close eye on their prospects while having a lot of fun too. Richard Leppan, for example, one of the top club members over the years, now mentors his son Chris who is a star performer in the junior and open divisions.”
The memberships include: u/14 Girls, u/14 Boys, u/16 Girls, u/18 Men, open men, masters, SUP (stand up paddleboard), social members.
Useful info: If you want to get involved contact Craig Butcher at 031 561 3267 or Jestyn Viljoen at 079 500 3945. E-mail Jestyn@hurricanesurf.net