by SFT | Dec 1, 2023 | Action Sports Media, St Francis
After 14 consecutive seasons of racing and partnership with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team, during which time we have experienced the full range of highs and lows of motorsport, Monster Energy will begin a new chapter in the sport from the start of the 2024 season.
Monster Energy x McLaren Racing
Rodney Sacks, Chairman and Co-CEO of Monster Energy Company, said: “We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team, and Toto Wolf in particular, for a partnership that has spanned well over a decade and seen us celebrate some wonderful success together. We wish the team well for their upcoming championship campaigns.”
Monster will begin a journey racing with a motor racing icon, McLaren, from the start of 2024, which will see us partnering in F1 and proudly and prominently featured on both drivers’ helmets and suits.
Lando and Oscar
Rodney Sacks added: “Monster Energy is proud to start this new chapter in its F1 journey with McLaren Racing. Monster is focused on enhancing fan experiences and partnering with a world-class team and its elite drivers to share our passion with F1’s global audience. We are planning some really exciting programs with Lando and Oscar and are excited to go racing together from 2024.”
See also: Monster Energy Triple Threat 2023 Online Dirt Bike Video Competition
by SFT | Nov 28, 2023 | Action Sports Media
The 2023 Edition of the King of the Whip – Best Whip Contest – presented by LW Mag in association with Ford, Monster Energy, Yamaha, Garmin, Motul, GoPro and Estrella Cerveza, wowed a sold-out crowd at Montecasino. Julien Vanstippen secured his second title.
26 Freestyle Motocross and Motocross athletes from all over the country, including three international riders – Julien Vanstippen (Belgium), Edgar Torronteras (Spain) and Marc Pinyol (Spain) – competed in the Best Whip and Best Trick competitions. So 6,000 spectators were treated to a day of non-stop action and a showcase of the biggest whips ever seen on African soil.
Event organiser Ryan van der Spuy said, “I am incredibly proud of King of the Whip. The event gets bigger and better every year, which wouldn’t be possible without the fans and the riders, which I greatly appreciate. Thus KOTW has solidified itself as the country’s biggest locally-produced Action Sports event. I cannot wait to see what 2024 holds.”
Jam Session Style
It was all about progression through the Jam Session-style qualifying rounds as the riders went bigger and more extreme with each attempt. Therefore, judges considered amplitude, style and variation when deciding which 14 riders would qualify for the semi-finals. This would see them battle it out for a Top 7 spot to advance to the final.
Edgar Torronteras takes to the skies © Eric Palmer
As the sun started to set on Montecasino, the Freestyle Motocross riders geared up for the Best Trick contest. Marc Pinyol put it all on the line, landing the California Roll, his first time to dirt since 2017, to take the win. South Africa’s Dallan Goldman slotted himself into 2nd place with a massive Airplane Indian Air. Edgar Torronteras rounded off the podium in 3rd with a Saran Wrap to 1 Hand Superman Indian Air to No Hander lander.
Speaking to Marc Pinyol about his win, “I really enjoyed South Africa, Montecasino and the King of the Whip. I’m leaving the country with a great experience; I loved the crowd, and they were killing it, so they deserved me going big. What I really enjoyed was seeing a lot of riders pushing each other to go big, helping between them and showing a lot of respect and passion. It’s a place I’d love to come back to. The organisation, public, riders, and now I can say some friends, I have to give them all a 10.”
Three Jumps Per Rider
Then it was time for the highlight of the show, the Best Whip final, which saw Jesse Wright, Dalton Venter, Dallan Goldman, Stav Orland, Matt van Galen, Edgar Torronteras, and Julien Vanstippen take to the air. Unfortunately, due to increasing wind levels, the riders and judges opted for a 3-jump per rider final. Insane whips paired with the roars of the crowd made for a hotly contested final as riders went bigger and more inverted with each jump.
“At 43 years old, I have been able to fulfil a dream, travelling to South Africa thanks to Ryan, the promoter of this magnificent King of the Whip event,” said Edgar Torronteras. “The experience has been incredible. Never before had I thought South Africa was so beautiful and there was so much love for motorcycles. The people are friendly and smile, which gives me life. The competition has been insane and incredible. An organisation of 10, a format that is a pleasure to follow, great riders that I didn’t even know existed. It has left me with my mouth open when I saw them ride.
For my part, I have been myself, and I have ridden, as always, fluidly and concisely with my technique, and I have enjoyed it. I assure you, more than anything else, that finishing in 2nd place keeps my sports career alive. I will give it a good place by placing this trophy in my museum. I only think about returning next year to live this beautiful experience again and feel the love of South Africa.”
Premier Division Battle
The premier division of the evening saw a close battle between Julien Vanstippen and Edgar Torronteras for the top spot of the podium, both throwing their biggest whips of the day on their final jumps. Thereafter, Vanstippen, back to defend his 2022 title, was successful and crowned the 2023 King of the Whip. Thereafter, Torronteras followed close behind in 2nd. So Dallan Goldman retained his record of podiuming at every King of the Whip event by finishing in 3rd place. Jesse Wright finished in 4th place, followed by Dalton Venter in 5th.
Best Whip Podium © Eric Palmer
An elated Julien Vanstippen said, “I love this country. I have so much good experience from last year, and this year, so it’s a pleasure to be here. The crowd was insane, and all the riders were so good with me, so I’m just enjoying my time here. I was ready for it; I’d been working on my whips during the year. I just enjoyed it, and when I enjoy riding, I throw down some good whips.”
King of the Whip 2023 results
Best Whip
1st – Julien Vanstippen R60,000
2nd – Edgar Torronteras R40,000
3rd – Dallan Goldman R20,000
4th – Jesse Wright R10,000
5th – Dalton Venter R5,000
6th – Stav Orland
7th – Matt van Galan
Best Trick
1st – Marc Pinyol R15,000
2nd – Dallan Goldman R7,000
3rd – Edgar Torronteras R3,000
See also: What Is King Of The Whip?
by SFT | Nov 22, 2023 | Action Sports Media
Local surfer Rory Dace is representing Cape St Francis in ISA World Surfing Championship.
The 2023 South African team is in for Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to join surfers from over 40 nations at the 20th ISA World Junior Surfing Championship. Furthermore, this will take place at Macumba Beach from Friday, November 24th to Sunday, December 3rd
First For Rio
The ISA World Junior Championship was first held in Durban in 2003. In addition, this is the second time in 20 years that Brazil has hosted this popular tournament. It is the first time it will take place in Rio de Janeiro. The event is hosted by the Brazilian Surf Confederation (CBS). With support from the Brazilian Olympic Committee and the State of Rio de Janeiro.
The South African team is captained by Ntokozo “Surprise” Maphumulo of Durban, who competes in the U18 Division. Forward to that he is joined by David Emslie of East London and Luc Lepront of Scottburgh in KZN. Both Maphumulo and Lepront represented South Africa in the 2022 ISA World Junior Championships in El Salvador last year. Emslie is a new cap.
Rip Curl Surfer Gemma Hanafey
The U18 Girls team is made up of East London surfers Gemma Hanafey and Zia Hendricks. They also competed in El Salvador in 2022 and new cap, Lily Heny of Port Alfred.
Levi Epenetos of Melkbosstrand, Rory Dace of Cape St Francis and Kai Hall of Durban make up the U16 Boys team. Further, all three are representing South Africa for the first time.
Rory Dace from Cape St Francis representing South Africa in the ISA World Champs in Brazil. © Louis Wulff
The U16 Girls group consists of new caps Louise Lepront of Scottburgh, Anastasia Venter of Jeffreys Bay and Indiphile Osinachi of Durban. Further, this is a second cap for Osinachi, who competed in the 2022 World Championships in El Salvador.
Managers and Coaches
SSA Operations Manager Rezar de Nicker is the Team Manager, while Natasha Van Greunen and Danielle Powis are the Coaches for the 2023 SA Junior Team. Thus all three are based in the Western Cape.
Furthermore, the team is supported by the National Lotteries Commission, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and Sea Harvest.
Surfing South Africa is the National Governing body for the sport in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Commission and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). Also the African Surfing Confederation (ASC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA).
by SFT | Nov 22, 2023 | Action Sports Media
King of the Whip 2023 – SA’s premier FMX Event – Returns to Montecasino
King of the Whip has sold out for the second year in a row. It takes place on Saturday, 25 November, at Montecasino in Fourways. Doors open at 2pm, and proceedings are underway at 4pm.
Julien Vanstippen from Belgium (Multiple X Games medalist) will be back to defend his 2022 title.
Spain’s Marc Linyol and Edgar Torronteras are new international riders joining the roster.
SA’s No1 Freestyle Motocross rider, Dallan Goldman, will compete for a podium position. He has podiumed at every single KOTW.
Motocross riders to look out for are Yamaha Monster Energy’s Jesse Wright (who placed 3rd last year) and Dalton Venter.
Youngest Competitor
SA’s MX1 and MX2 2023 National Motocross Champion, Cameron Durrow, will be entering for the first time.
13-year-old Trent Valsecchi will be competing, the youngest rider to ever compete in KOTW.
“Last year’s event exceeded all expectations, and we’re ready to bring the excitement back to Montecasino this November,’ said event organiser LW’s Ryan Van Der Spuy.
“Fans can expect an experience like none other as we bring this production to new heights. Our event partners play a huge role in making this possible, and we’d like to extend the biggest thank you to them. The countdown has officially begun; bring on King of the Whip 2023.”
Whip (Noun): Explainer…
A manoeuvre is performed on a motorcycle, usually during a motocross or freestyle motocross contest, in which the rider brings the rear of the motorcycle abruptly around to either side. Performed while the machine is airborne off a jump. In extreme whips, the rear of the motorcycle will end up perpendicular to the direction of travel, and the motorcycle is laid flat. The purpose of the whip is to show off, alter the bike’s trajectory in flight, and scrub speed over jumps.
King of the Whip event details:
Date: 25 November 2023
Time: 2pm onwards
Venue: Montecasino – Montecasino Boulevard (Cnr William Nicol and Witkoppen), Fourways, Johannesburg
by SFT | Nov 20, 2023 | Action Sports Media
Eli Buekes Releases ‘Chommies’ Surf Movie
Beukes, West Coast lien air © Van Gysen
Cape Town surfer Eli Beukes has delivered his best surfing video yet. So, this movie was filmed in and around South Africa, with the lion’s share of filming duties attributed to his dad and Alan Van Gysen. Thus the movie Chommies is a remarkable demonstration of this soft-spoken regular footer’s surfing talent.
Overwhelming Determination
One thing that might have been mentioned about the Long Beach surfer in the past is that he sometimes needs more confidence. Those asides are gone as he pulls off some intense airs and glides through endless metres of churning barrels. In fact he displays overwhelming determination and tenacity in his surfing.
Eli and his chommies score some ridiculous waves, including several of his favourite waves around Cape Town and the West Coast. He also lucks into Donkey Bay. The right-hand barrels they score at all-time Mozambique clearly explains why the call that wave the African Kirra.
Beukes, West Coast © Van Gysen
His chommies are Brendon Gibbens and Luke Slijpen, who accompany Eli, riding endless metres of spinning water in the barrel fest of Donkey Bay and Mozambique. They are also highly adept at air moves and keep impressing as the movie progresses.
Eli’s Humble Brag
As Stab Magazine said in their review of Eli Buekes Releases ‘Chommies’ – “It’s yet another testament to South African surfers. A reminder that if one can brave the elements, the big fish and a debilitating currency exchange rate, good things can happen. Consider this Eli’s humble brag.”
Eli has the complete package, and he is also quite delighted when taking gnarly drops at chunky and unforgiving slabs. The movie also has a rocking soundtrack to go with all the charging. Check the 15-minute film here – Chommies.
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Eli Beukes WSL Profile here – World Surf League Athletes
Follow Eli on Instagram
by SFT | Nov 15, 2023 | Action Sports Media, St Francis
WSL Celebrates Global Impact – Today, the World Surf League (WSL) and its non-profit partner, WSL PURE, celebrated the impact of the projects. Also the milestones achieved by its WSL One Ocean initiative in 2023. The WSL has released its 2023 Annual Purpose & Impact Report to provide a deeper understanding of the league’s efforts. This report details the league’s environmental and social impact initiatives during the 2023 season. It offers a comprehensive view of its commitment through the perspective of WSL One Ocean.
WSL One Ocean Activations Create Positive Impact in 2023 and Beyond
Over the 2023 Championship Tour (CT) season, WSL One Ocean partnered with local communities, Indigenous and First Nations peoples, surfers, and a coalition of over 100 organizations to host over 16 local impact projects and activations, which focused on protecting and conserving our global ocean and its ecosystem.
This season the WSL delivered the following impact:
- 45,374 hectares of land protected or restored, including the protection of surf ecosystems in Hawaii, Australia, and Brazil. Long-term reforestation projects in Uruguay through WSL’s carbon offset portfolio
- 100,000 corals planted through efforts with Coral Gardeners
- 2 tons of plastic removed through river intervention projects in Latin America
- 1,635 volunteers engaged across all WSL One Ocean activations
- 3,041 youths educated on cultural and environmental stewardship
In addition, WSL One Ocean received six awards in sports sustainability, including the prestigious Leaders In Sport Sustainability Category Award and the Green Sports Alliance Waste Champion Award.
Third-Annual WSL PURE Grant Program Supports Projects Around the World
As part of WSL One Ocean, WSL PURE hosts an annual grant program to fund local impact projects in key regions. These are focused on improving the health of global ocean ecosystems. Also, these and supporting the livelihoods and cultures of the communities dependent on them.
In its third year, the 2023 WSL PURE Grant Program supported 16 local impact projects, which varied from funding a compost machine for the North Shore of Hawaii and deploying seeded kelp lines to restore kelp ecosystems in Portugal, to removing plastic from rivers in El Salvador and planting a coral nursery in Tahiti. The grant program is also dedicated to inclusion and environmental stewardship through meaningful collaborations with Indigenous and First Nations communities, and organizations such as Native Like Water.
TEAHUPOʻO, TAHITI, FRENCH POLYNESIA – AUGUST 10: Johanne Defay at the WSLOO Activation coral restoration at the SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro on August 10, 2023 at Teahupoʻo, Tahiti, French Polynesia. (Photo by Beatriz Ryder/World Surf League)
“We are extremely proud of the sustainability impact we’ve achieved. This by working with our WSL athletes, WSL PURE Grantees, WSL One Ocean partners. Also our global employees over the past year,” said Emily Hofer, WSL Chief People and Purpose Officer. “As we reflect on our accomplishments, we remain steadfast in our commitment. Further, sustainability is not just a goal; it is a way of life. Together, we can create a positive impact that extends far beyond the shoreline.”
Engaging Communities
In 2024, the WSL One Ocean initiative is looking forward to engaging communities at each CT stop. So, it will continue to fund critical local impact projects through its WSL PURE Grant Program. While the WSL is celebrating all that was achieved in 2023, there is still work to be done. Therefore the WSL remains committed to protecting and conserving our one ocean.
WSL One Ocean is proudly supported by global commercial partners SHISEIDO, YETI, and AB InBev; Also regional partners Mananalu Water and Hydralyte; and WSL PURE grantees and WSL One Ocean coalition partners.
View the WSL’s 2023 Annual Purpose & Impact Report.
For more information, please visit worldsurfleague.com/wsloneocean.
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