JP Veaudry © ISA / Sean Evans
Huntington Beach, California, November 2024 – With two bronze medals and a silver medal in his trophy cabinet, East London’s JP Veaudry can now add a gold medal after winning the Men’s Stand 2 division at The ISA World Para Surfing Championships at Huntington Beach in California.
Veaudry came up against Forrest Weinberg (USA, Nachman Balulu (ISR) and Philippe Naud (FRA) in a closely fought final. Ultimately, it was between Veaudry and Weinberg, but at the final siren, the South African was three points ahead and claimed the gold.
“I just want to thank everyone, especially everyone back in East London, for all the incredible support. So very stoked. This is for my family,” said JP in his post-victory speech.
After an interference call cost him the gold last year, JP played a somewhat safer game in the final this year.
“I actually let a couple of waves go when I had priority, as I didn’t want to take any chances at all,” said JP of his final heat strategy. “‘I’ve been coming to World’s for the last 11 years, and it’s always so close. It has been frustrating. Right now, I can’t even express how happy I am.”
Tracy McKay from Team South Africa achieved 5th place in the Women’s Prone 1 Division, just missing out on a finals berth.
Tracy McKay © ISA / Sean Evans
France claimed their second consecutive Team World Championship over the USA. This in a tight battle that has played out across three years. The winning nation took home a total of 10 medals. Two each of Gold, Silver and Bronze, along with four Copper. Australia, fielding their strongest team in many years, claimed their first Team Medal since 2017 with Bronze. After missing out on the podium last year, 2020 Team World Champion Spain matched their 2022 performance to claim Copper.
Six divisions saw new World Champions crowned. Pierot Gagliano (FRA), Zoe Smith (ENG), Luciano Silveira (BRA), Audrey Pascual (ESP), Kai Colless(AUS) and JP Veaudry (RSA) each won their first Gold Medals.
For Gagliano, Smith, Veaudry, and Pascual, the victories were long-awaited, while Silveira took the Stand 3 division by storm in his very first event. Colless earned the win in his second attempt.
ISA President Fernando Aguerre said:
“What an amazing ISA World Para Surfing Championship, held and presented by Surf City Huntington Beach. Furthermore, it was incredible days, great waves. At our first Adaptive Surfing World Championships, which was the original name, one of the competitors was asked about their hope for the event. Their answer was simple: ‘I hope to bring home hope.’ Thus that’s what we all bring. We hope that you take hope home.
“We will continue our paddle for Paralympic Surfing. Also, we will continue our paddle for a better world through surfing and para surfing. Furthermore, we will continue to support this amazing community. Congratulations to every one of you. Thank you to Visit Huntington Beach.Big thank you to all the volunteers and the staff of the ISA for making this event an amazing history-making event.”
Team Results
Gold – France
Silver – USA
Bronze – Australia
Copper – Spain
(South Africa 16th)
Read more:Surfing South Africa General Manager Robin De Kock Announces Retirement After 50 Years In The Sport
The Rotary Club of St Francis and St Francis Tourism are hosting the fourth annual 6312 Amazing Race on December 8, 2024. So, book your place for the Amazing Race for Hospice.
This family fun event is sponsored by Dirk Ellis Volkswagen this year. All proceeds will go to St Francis Hospice in the Kouga region.
The focus of this event is raising much-needed funding for St Francis Hospice. Yet it is also a fun and adventurous way to showcase the beauty of Cape St Francis and St Francis Bay. Participants travelled to various parts of the two towns as part of the event.
Further, last year’s event was a blast, with loads of fun and good times. Everyone who entered loved it and vowed to return this year.
The Amazing Race will start at 09:00 at the Kouga Municipality car park in Assisi Drive, St Francis Bay. Registration opens at 08h00. Thereafter, teams must navigate 23 checkpoints in St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis, following cryptic clues provided in their Race passport. They must also complete diverse challenges within 10-minute time frames.
“There will be many great prizes for the winners, the best-dressed team and best-dressed car, and a prize for each participant.
Also, a big vote of thanks must go to Dirk Ellis Volkswagen, our main sponsor, and to all the local companies that have sponsored the 23 checkpoints.
Vehicle registration costs R350, accommodating up to four participants. Additional participants incur a R50 fee. The Amazing Race will finish at 13:30 at St Francis Brewery, where the prize-giving ceremony will be held.
Entry numbers are limited, so get your entries in as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
So, for more information and entry forms, email Errol Burman at errol.burman@gmail.com
Alternatively, contact Hantie from St Francis Tourism at 060 531 0516, or email office@stfrancistourism.co.za.
Read more: Rotary St Francis Newsletter: July – September 2024
The regional Coca-Maak Skoon clean-up campaign is a unique opportunity by the Kouga Municipality for Kouga residents to come together and make a difference. It is about to kick off again, so get ready.
Once again, Kouga residents can breathe a sigh of relief. They have the opportunity to dispose of their unwanted items and goods that cannot be put out for standard refuse collection, all in a convenient manner.
“The project is dubbed ‘Coca-Maak Skoon’ – which is the isiXhosa and Afrikaans words for cleaning up. It forms part of the ongoing Keep Kouga Clean Campaign
Items and goods that can be placed for collection include electronic waste, recyclables and even old furniture.
The only things that are excluded are food – to avoid attracting scavengers – as well as garden refuse and builders’ rubble,”
Residents only take out materials on the day advertised for collection in their area. Once the truck has moved away from a specific location, do not put anything on the pavement.”
The campaign will include the Gamtoos Valley, as well as Humansdorp, the Greater St Francis Area, and Jeffreys Bay. It includes many more locations. Please check the poster for all the locations and the dates for pick-ups.
Please check the local news or our website for the exact dates and times in your area.
The previous success of the COCA-Maak Skoon campaigns has been the willingness of residents to abide by the rules. Thus only putting aside electronic waste, recyclables and furniture. It also includes placing the material out on the correct days.
Old phones, computers, chargers, TVs, hi-fi systems, gaming machines. Anything else that might be lying around and that you want to get rid of. Take the opportunity to offload all of these things before the festive season is in full swing. Everyone is visiting you for cheer, and you need all the space you can get
Read More: Municipality Ensures Beach Safety With Lifeguard Assessments – Gallery
The wait is over, and we finally know what is happening at the petrol station building. We have a Food Lovers coming to town as well as a Fresh Stop.
The photos are all over social media, and the question on everyone’s lips is, when do they open?
Most likely, within a week or two, they would need to be sharp in order to secure good foot traffic over the upcoming season, so we can be sure that it will be pretty soon that the doors open.
While some are saying that competition is good, and I can’t help but agree, there are still others that bemoan the development that is going on in the village, and the fact that things are not what they used to be any more, but that, unfortunately, is an argument that is a waste of time and energy. We no longer live in a small village.
Over in Cape St Francis, a new New York Pizza takeaway opened up quickly and unannounced at the Coastal Convenience store and seemed to be doing a very healthy trade over the weekend.
The kids love pizza, which is half your battle won already, and New York Pizza offer pizza slices, so there’s no need to commit to a whole pizza meal, and you can go and grab a slice of your favourite one – the pepperoni pizza is delicious, I heard from a friend. There is also outside seating, so you can grab a slice, sit with your mates, and shoot the breeze after a (very crowded) surf at the point. Nothing really changes…
So, along with The Crazy Store and KFC, we have a bustling little town vibe right now. The Pig and Rooster is doing some marvelous things at the Lighthouse Precinct, there is a Build Your Own Burger food truck in the town, and there’s more to come.
Oh, and that bottle store that we spoke about. It’s coming. It’s literally ‘just around the corner,’ and we’ll leave it at that.
You might also have noticed a vast area of land being cleaned up and some building work going on near the Tarragona/R330 corner. The latest and hottest rumour, and it is just a rumour, is that this will be the new St Francis Mall site, set to open on 1 April 2025. For more information on this site, go here – St Francis Mall
Read More: What is a Rickroll?
Read More: New Bottle Stores For St Francis Bay? Notes from the editor
For many years, the role of a financial adviser was limited to providing access to financial products, often acting more as an order-taker than an advice-giver.
However, in an era where financial information is at our fingertips and financial products are readily available, our role has had to evolve significantly.
Today, the best advisers act as thinking partners and professional advisers to help families achieve their most cherished financial and life goals. At Client Care we are committed to this new way of being and see ourselves as partners in your financial journey, dedicated to guiding you towards a secure future.
Like any meaningful relationship, this partnership thrives on mutual respect, trust, and honesty.
While it’s easy to maintain this honesty when you’re on track with their financial goals, true partnership shines brightest during challenging times. When it becomes apparent that you may be veering off course from your financial objectives, our commitment to honesty compels us to have difficult yet crucial conversations.
We regularly encounter situations that require a difficult conversation that requires empathy. Some days, we encounter a pre-retiree who believes that investing regularly is unnecessary because retirement is decades away. On other days, we encounter retirees withdrawing unsustainably from their investments, jeopardising their long-term independence.
While uncomfortable to discuss, these scenarios require crucial conversations that can alter financial trajectories. Because financial discussions can be emotionally charged, we aim to guide clients through these conversations with sensitivity and care. If we ever need to have these conversations with you, we’re here to support you as we work together towards your financial goals.
While avoiding these topics might feel easier in the moment, if not addressed, the problem will only grow, potentially causing irreparable damage. By addressing issues early, you can make smaller, more manageable adjustments rather than drastic overhauls later.
Think of your financial journey as a flight. As your advisers, we are the co-pilots, regularly checking the instruments and suggesting course corrections. Even a slight deviation can lead you far off course over time without these adjustments. Our duty is to ensure you reach the intended destination, and course corrections are inevitable.
As we navigate your financial journey together, remember that our commitment to honesty stems from a genuine desire to see you succeed. We’re not just looking at the you of today but advocating for your future self – the person who will benefit from the decisions and adjustments made now.
We are committed to being supportive partners who care enough to tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. If there’s anything we need to hear that will strengthen our relationship and the value you get from it, we encourage you to bring it up.
We encourage open dialogue. Ask us questions, share your concerns, and be receptive to feedback. This collaborative approach, built on mutual trust and respect, is the cornerstone of our mutual long-term success.
Dirk Groeneveld, Certified Financial Planner.
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