What Big Teeth You Have!
Wednesday 3 August 2022 South Africa's best bodyboarders have an appointment at the dentist tomorrow - the Tand Invitational has been called on at the infamous West Coast slab near Paternoster, and the forecast is kiff.
THROWBACK: Allan Horton sets up a deep barrel as the wave pitches over the slab. Photo Supplied
Conditions have aligned for the spot, which packs what some might call a serious overbite, for a day of high performance, extreme bodyboarding action at this Specialty Event by the International Bodyboarding Corporation (IBC). There is only one other IBC specialty event, the Annaëlle Challenge in France later this year.
Organisers need five hours to get the results they need and on the best bodyboarding day in the waiting period from 22 July to 16 August, and this should be the case tomorrow with 4-6ft surf and clean NNW breezes expected.
GAP TOOTHED: Hankus Loubser is on of the invitees to the Tand Invitational. Photo Supplied
The Tand Invitational 2022 saw the introduction of The David Lilienfeld Trials prior to window in rememberence of a fellow bodyboarding waterman. The top two finalists Benjy Oliver (1st) and Marc Webster (2nd) were handed a spot in the main event, where they will compete against 14 inviteers. Luke Staniforth and Ryan Voster, who got a 3rd and 4th place respectively, are the reserves.
Of the 16 spots available for competitors in the main event, two are for the trial finalists, four of the best locals, the previous years' Tand Invitational finalists, with four selected as wildcards. The event is a precursor to the IBC World Tour event the Walker Bay Pro (men and women) that takes place in Hermanus Walker between August 19 and 28. Download the info pack
The word ‘Tand’ means ‘tooth’ in Afrikaans, which gives you some indication of how powerfully this wave breaks. Of course, that means lots of jokes about gap teeth, overbites, jaw dropping, toothy, baring fangs and various dentistry puns.
GREEN ROOM: A perfect illustration of why tubes are sometimes called the Green Room.
INVITEES
Iain Campbell
Jared Houston
Aden Kleve
Allan Horton
Alex Nutt
Hankus Loubser
Sacha Specker
Ismaeel Grant
Wesley Coetzee
Benjy Oliver (1st Place Trials)
Marc Webster (2nd Place Trials)
Attie Van Heerden
Johan De Goede
Mafoos Lombard
Andre-Hugo van Zyl
Rupert La Grange4
FIRST RESERVES
Luke Staniforth
Ryan Vosters