Natal Champs shoredive Competition 2025
So the stage was set and the lighting crew and sound crew checked out on Friday afternoon and allas the show had to be postponed for Sunday! Big SW wind predicted for the day of the compo so the powers that be decided that the backup day (Sunday the 31st August) was a better bet!
Yeah with a compo this steeped in history (70th anniversary this year) you have to make sure you make the right call due to various factors and especially the fact that not everyone entering is a Master diver! Safety 1st and foremost hence the call!
Sunday dawned and low and behold there was divable water both south coast and north coast with a bit of swell far north and far south.
I headed to a secret spot (hahaha) in the sugar cane far north with my flu aflicted dive buddy in tow to arrive to some Swell and water looking off colour. A quick decision and we raced off to check Zinkwazi.
As we got a 1st glimpse from the top road of the sea there was a mega wave set pulling in and she looked green and dark…noooo! We eventually got in after 8am at Umdloti south. Thanks Captain Chris West for the heads up on the viz at Umdloti.
Upon unpacking my gear I noticed a crease in my left carbon blade at the base of the footpocket… eeeyyy. Did the dive basically with one fin and managed 13th place!
Captain Chris didn’t shape before me unfortunately and had some serious cramps on the way back in. Glad you are safe and sound Master Chris! Hopefully I’m still diving at over 70 year’s old! What a legend!
Master Sean Burns and JP Blumenthal also went sugar cane missions almost same spot I had in mind and they decided to get in regardless.
And this paid off! Although they did do two dives (second location undisclosed) they shaped well with JP becoming the new Champ nogal with a 23kg Daga salmon (spear bent properly) and got himself a carbon roller from Rob Allen)! Master Sean Burns placed 5th overall. Aweh lad’s top duo for the compo!
The second to last spot I stopped at after the failed far north mission was La mercy. We saw two diver’s who had just gotten out and they said it was not great with poor viz and loads of ground swell. While they were swimming back to beach another legend Master Garreth Brockett was swimming out! Same spot. Damn we should have got in there!
Well done Master Garreth Brockett on 2nd place in the Champs with 6 species! Aweh!
Young Timothy White placed third with a decent 7 species stringer after a week of scouting! Put in the homework and reap the rewards! Aweh
There was only a couple of point’s difference in the top three places so just one maxi ( 4kg fish) would have clinched the win!
It was awesome to see the turn out at this year’s event with even some lad’s from south coast entering (45 entrant’s in total). Devan Leach (Ocean lover) and Werner Swart (Chilliwhip spearfishing) were in the prizes as well with Devan placing well at 4th with 6 species including a Yellow fin tuna and an Englishman!
Werner got the prize for biggest fish a 13.8kg Garrick! (JP had already got 1st place prize so the Daga salmon didn’t count). He placed 15th place overall on their dive at Park Rynie on the south coast. Aweh lad’s!
Mark Wright also placed well at 5th place diving with Timothy White with 6 species and received a decent prize (wetsuit from Rob Allen) as it was his 1st Champs! Aweh hopefully we see more of Mark at compos!
Gordon Harris placed 7th with a 6 species stringer, nearly 7 species if his sneaky Salad fish had weighed ! Good thinking there although it’s hard to find one over 1kg if they are gutted and gilled. Aweh Gordon!
Ashleigh Paul placed 8th diving inside of me where I was diving at Umdloti managing to get 5 species including a Garrick and a snoek! Aweh Ash bash!
Master Richardt Botes (nogal with blocked flu sinusus) placed 9th with a 5 species stringer diving north with Daniel Cilliers who placed 14th with 3 species. Aweh lads.
Master Louis Schourie placed 10th with a 5 species stringer and I’m sure we will see a winning stringer from him soon again! Aweh!
Master Rowan Coleman still managed 11th place even with a beginner in tow and having to choose a suitable spot for him to swim out with a 3 species stringer! Aweh it’s all about paying it forward!
Master Philip Dreyer managed to pip me with 12th place diving Limestone reef due to unforeseen circumstances! Aweh the limestone warrior is back!
My dive buddy Dominic Fourie still managed to weigh one species (his Bronzie just under weiged by 50gm) with a 5kg Garrick. Aweh Domz for chowing some cement and getting it done even with the flu and being unable to equalise!
Yeah so as you can see with 17 people weighing in and no 10 species stringer it was a hard won compo however there was no shortage of prizes handed out with special attention paid to 1st time entrant’s ( 4) including the new Champ JP Blumenthal!
It’s all about the spirit and comradery at spearfishing competions and this event was no different with an excellent turn out at a well run weigh in and pre event information assistance etc. Hat’s off to Master’s Louis and Sean for giving us a Comp to remember and honouring the 70th Champs in style! And thanks JP Blumenthal for your admin skills via the score sheet administration at weigh in! Aweh lad’s top class.
Callum from Rob Allen was there to film it all! Aweh here’s the link to the YouTube video…
https://youtu.be/4EL4uRs3KDc?si=MOVHOKW3Rhe_Wx08
A huge shout out to all the generous sponsors without whom the competition would not have happened! See pic for all the sponsors.
A big thanks to DUC/PWSC for letting us use their premises and providing excellent Burgers braaid right at the weigh in with hungry spearos climbing in with gusto after the prize giving!
Hopefully we see 50 entrant’s at next year’s event! Aweh everyone see you next time at 1st place hahaha.
As always dive safe and straight spears from the Bear
