Local and Visiting Surfers at the Rip Curl GromSearch Supported by Kouga Municipality, Cape St Francis Resort, and Channel Islands Surfboards. Further reading: High Performance Surfing on Day One Of The Rip Curl GromSearch, Seal Point, Cape St Francis.
All photos by Kody McGregor
Link for image downloads HERE
Seal Point, Cape St Francis, Sunday 5 October – The surf had settled after Saturday’s solid afternoon surge, and the challenge for the Premier U16 Finals was finding two good waves. In the U16 Girls, Emily Jenkinson found her two, but Leah Lepront was hot on her heels, finding the corners, trying her best to swing enough backhand hooks to edge in front. At the final buzzer, it was Lepront in front, but Jenkinson in front in the GromSearch Series and taking the overall win and the trip to Hossegor, France, for the Rip Curl GromSearch International Finals in November.
In the U16 Boys final, it was a game of strategy, with the natural-footers Kai Stubbs and Carl Weirsma choosing to sit down the Point, while the goofy-footers Ben Esterhuyse and Loghann Tilsley decided to sit further up the Point.
The strategy worked for the left-foot-forward crew, with Kai taking the event win and the Rip Curl GromSearch series title, while Carl Wiersma finished second in this final heat.
“I started up at the top, and after my first wave, I moved down to the bottom. Luckily, a good one came my way and I got a decent score,” said Kai. “Then I got one or two more down the point.” Kai and Emily will head on over to the Rip Curl International Final In Hossegor in November.
The rest of the Rip Curl GromSearch Seal Point was a fight for the numbers in small, inconsistent, but highly contestable and fun conditions at the Point. The contest had definitely seen four seasons in three days, with strong easterly winds swinging around to the west, swell going from the east direction, to south, to a mix of south and west swells. The wind was all over the place like it does in St Francis, finally settling on a medium southwesterly to finish off the event.
Saturday’s swell had dissipated, and the finals heat had a significant element of luck. In the U12 Girls, Ella van der Made took the win from local surfer Summer Harding, while in the U12 Boys, it was Ethan Schermbrucker who outpointed local goofy Leo Macleod.
In inconsistent conditions, Charlotte Copson took out friend and rival Emma Schermbrucker, while the U16 Boys saw Seb Copson win comfortably, with Luc Jackson in second place.
The U18 Girls finals had both the Venter girls in the mix. Anastasia took the win, Taylor Emslie placed second, Jasmine Venter placed third, and Emily Jenkinson was in fourth.
The men’s U18 division was an old-school battle for supremacy with two goofy-footers in Clay Turrel and Matt Canning pitted against natural-footers Rory Dace and Josh Jefferies.
Local knowledge prevailed in this heat, and Dace found a bomb that opened up further down the Point, scoring 9.33 and ultimately securing the win, with all his opponents comboed. Matt Canning was second, Turrell was third, and Josh Jefferies was fourth.
The Channel Islands Surfboards went to Lazaro De Bruyn for his gutsy performance on Saturday in the powerful surf. Banking 8-point rides in the powerful conditions, De Bruyn impressed judges and officials and was deemed the winner of the custom board, valued at R15k.
Channel Islands Surfboards South Africa has committed to a long-term partnership with the Rip Curl GromSearch series going forward and will be rewarding our young surfers throughout the 2026 season.
U12 Girls
U12 Boys
U14 Girls
U14 Boys
U16 Girls
U16 Boys
U18 Girls
U18 Boys
Kai Stubbs and Emily Jenkinson
Lazaro De Bruyn
© Kody McGregor
Complimentary high-res images are available for media outlets.
For Rip Curl GromSearch media enquiries and photo requests, please get in touch with Craig Jarvis:
e. craig@truthcollective.co.za
t. 082 376 4443
For Surfing South Africa enquiries or event details, please get in touch with SSA General Manager Reza De Nicker:
e. reza@surfingsouthafrica.co.za
t. 079 373 1964
This event was a Rip Curl South Africa competition.
The contest was supported by the Kouga Local Municipality.
The tournament was hosted by The Cape St Francis Resort.
Channel Islands Surfboards South Africa is a supporting sponsor of the Rip Curl GromSearch Series.
Many people imagine that once they reach retirement, life will become simple and straightforward—a peaceful stretch with no major surprises. Some even fear they’ll get bored. Others take comfort in the idea that once they’ve “made it,” the turbulence of life will fade away.
But anyone who has been retired for a few years knows that’s not quite how it works. In fact, retirement often brings more change—both good and bad—than any other life stage before it.
Think about it. During our working years, life follows a rhythm. We’re occupied five or six days a week with careers, raising children, and squeezing in the odd holiday or hobby. We expect certain ups and downs: a promotion here, a job loss there, children growing up, perhaps a divorce or health scare. Life is busy and unpredictable, yet there’s structure to it.
Then retirement arrives, and for a brief moment, it feels like everything might finally slow down. But the truth is, life continues to unfold—with the same capacity for surprise.
Even with financial security—if we’re blessed enough not to worry about money—retirement doesn’t guarantee a smooth track. Families grow, relationships evolve, and new challenges appear. Adult children may face retrenchment, divorce, or health struggles. Grandchildren might require extra attention or financial support. These ripple effects inevitably touch us, emotionally and sometimes financially.
At the same time, we face our own realities—declining health, the loss of friends, or simply the passage of time that makes some activities harder than before. There’s even the growing phenomenon of “grey divorce,” as couples realise their visions for retirement no longer align.
All of this is part of the normal, messy, beautiful process of living. Which is why retirement planning should never be done on autopilot.
Even a well-funded, well-designed retirement plan needs regular review. The numbers may look good on paper, but life has a way of changing the assumptions behind those numbers. What was true five years ago may no longer reflect your reality or your dreams.
Equally, not all change is bad. Retirement can also bring wonderful surprises—new friendships, opportunities to travel, rediscovered hobbies, or even the joy of helping others through volunteering or mentoring.
The point is simple: retirement isn’t a static destination. It’s a dynamic, evolving chapter that requires attention and adaptability.
To get the most out of it, we need to stay engaged, to remain willing to push the reset button when life demands it. That might mean reassessing priorities, adjusting financial plans, or redefining what a fulfilling life looks like as circumstances shift.
True retirement success isn’t about everything going smoothly. It’s about having the flexibility—and courage—to reset, refocus, and keep building a life of purpose and joy with what we have, right now.
t. 083 261 9287
—
Previous Columns:
It was all smiles as the Rotary Club of St Francis Bay officially handed over a brand-new trailer to the local St Francis Nippers. Representing Rotary were Sam Verbaan, Ivan Beaumont, and Club President Lesley De Jager, who joined Sian Harding and Jaco Prins from the Nippers. This along with a full turnout of parents and energetic young lifesavers, all proudly gathered for the occasion.
The trailer will be used to transport essential lifesaving and training equipment, boards, buoys, flags, and first-aid kits, between training sessions and competitions. For a volunteer-driven youth program that relies on community support, the donation represents a meaningful boost. “It’s going to make a huge difference to our training and event days,” said Harding. “The kids can see how the community believes in what they’re doing.”
Founded in 2023, the St Francis Bay Nippers operate under the umbrella of the Summerstrand Surf Lifesaving Club. The program now includes more than 80 children between the ages of 5 and 14, all of whom are learning the fundamentals of ocean safety, surf awareness, teamwork, and first aid. Beyond building confidence and fitness, the initiative instils a sense of respect for the sea and responsibility toward others, qualities that shape the next generation of lifesavers.
As the Rotary members handed over the keys and the children gathered around their new trailer, it was clear that the moment symbolised more than a piece of equipment. It was a reminder of what happens when a community invests in its youth: the skills, spirit, and teamwork that will one day keep our beaches and everyone on them safe.
Read more: The Power of Zooming Out – The Human Side Of Money presented by Client Care
Further reading: High Performance Surfing on Day One Of The Rip Curl GromSearch, Seal Point, Cape St Francis.
Screenshot
Recent Comments