His Worship, the Mayor of George presents the John Pfaff Trophy to Rob Pollock and Leonard Giles. Both photos Carmen Pollock

 

Defending Champions and event hosts Eden Surfriders, secured the John Pfaff Team Trophy for the second year in a row when they won the annual Vic Bay Quad in pounding 6 foot surf at Victoria Bay, near George on Sunday May 29th.

Eden posted 34353 points, Buffalo City scored 32495 points to take the runner up spot, Nelson Mandela Bay were third with 28859 points, Cape Winelands scored 27598 for fourth place and Cape Town ended fifth with 23761 points.

Eden surfers won five of the eight titles on offer with father and son, Forest and Stephen Hair, winning the Open Men’s and Over 60 titles respectively. Other surfers who ensured that Eden took team honours were 2013 ISA World Champion and 2021 Open Men’s winner at this event, Shuan Joubert who this year won the Over 30 Division. Fellow Eden surfers, Mark Zunckel took gold in the Over 35 Division and Charles Reitz won the Over 45 Final for the second year in a row.

Defending Over 50 Division surfer Wayne Monk of Buffalo City continued his annual success at the Vic Bay Quad and his East London team mate Tyrell Johnson won the Over 40 division.

The Open Women’s title was deservedly won by dedicated Danielle Powis who was the toast of the Cape Winelands team. This is the first major win for Powis, who has been competing since she was eleven years old. She is the daughter of Barbara and sister to Brionee, Craig and Avro Johnson, one of Cape Town’s most famous surfing families.

All the results of the Vic Bay Quad in memory of John Pfaff are available on Liveheats and can be accessed by going to www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za and clicking the Liveheats tab.

The first Vic Bay Quad was held 46 years ago, ironically at Wilderness Beach as the surf was too small at Vic Bay for the event to be held there. It was originally contested by Southern Cape (known as South Western Districts back then) and now called Eden, Western Province ( now Cape Town), Eastern Province ( now Nelson Mandela Bay) and Border (now called Buffalo City). In the early 1980’s Boland (now Cape Winelands) sent a team to the event but it retained its name as the Vic Bay Quad, even though five teams take part. In the 1980’s a team from the SA Defence Force also competed.

After a break of nearly a decade the Vic Bay Quad was added to the Surfing South Africa calendar in 2012 as a memorial to its founder John Pfaff.

At the end of the contest every surfer’s allocated scores determine the team champions. The John Pfaff Trophy is awarded to the winning team.

The 2022 Vic Bay Quad in memory of John Pfaff was presented by Surfing South Africa and hosted by Eden Surfriders. Participants were honoured that the Mayor of George, His Worship Leon Van Wyk, came down to Vic Bay to watch the Finals and present the Trophies and medals to the winning team and the finalists.