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© Matt Van Wieringen

This is the story of the surfing community rallying around abandoned street children.
From life on the streets, to where they are now, these kids have come a really long way through surfing.

The Second Umthombo Surfing contest will be held at Dairy Beach on Saturday 24 November. The event will start at 7am and conclude at 1pm. Prize giving will be immediately after the event and will be followed by a casual lunch of a boerie roll and a cool drink.



"Kushay'igagasi 2012"
Umthombo Street Children, Surfing South Africa noBombsurf bayanimema okuwesibili Umthombo umncintiiswano: "kushay'igagasi 2012!" eDairy lwandle eThekwini ngomhlaka 24 November 2012. Lomncintiiswano uvumelekile kuze zonke ezingane eziyingxenye yo Mthombo Street Children nalabo bantwana abakade bekanye nathi ohlelweni loMthombo eminyakeni edlule konke kwenzeke ngemizamo emihle yobunto of the surfing community of Durban.

Umthombo Street Children, Surfing South Africa and theBOMBsurf invite you to the 2nd Umthombo surf classic: "kushay'igagasi 2012!" at Dairy beach on the 24th November 2012.

More Information
There will be 22 competitors competing in 2 divisions, a pro and a beginner division.

All competitors will receive:
• A T-shirt with the attached artwork printed on it.
• A medal of participation.
• R100 in cash in an envelope with their name on it.
• A beanie sponsored by DC.
• A boerewors roll sponsored by Mr Mozzies Butchery.
• A cool drink.


© Kierran Allen

All competitors will have the opportunity to surf twice in accumulated percentage rounds. The 4 finalists in each division will be those that have accumulated the highest percentages in the two previous rounds.
The two percentage rounds will be 20 minutes each and the finals half an hour each.
Non finalists will also receive R250 to be held in trust for them by Umthombo.
All finalists in both divisions will also receive a new wetsuit from O’Neill.
4th place in the final earns R500, R400 of which is held in trust by Umthombo. 3rd place earns R1000 of which R900 will be held in trust by Umthombo. 2nd Place earns R1500 of which R1400 will be held in trust by Umthombo and the winner of each division earns R2000 of which R1900 will be held in trust by Umthombo.
The money held in trust will be available to that individual based upon their individual needs and subject to the supervision of Umthombo when spending it.
The competition is open to any youngsters who are part of Umthombo or who have been through Umthombo Street Children's programmes.


Program of events:

6am, set up.
6:30 – 6:45am, competitors briefing.
7am-12pm, Surfing competition.
12:15pm, Awards Ceremony.
12:30pm, Lunch.
12:30 – 1pm clean up and pack away.




© Kierann Allen

Interesting facts
1. This is the world’s first surfing competition to be run in isiZulu.
2. All of the competitors are former street children who through the use of surfing as a form of therapeutic intervention have been taken off the the streets and in many cases weaned off glue sniffing and entered into rehabilitation programmes run by Umthombo. Many have gone on to become productive members of society holding down real jobs and supporting themselves.
3. This will be the first surfing event where all the judges, the commentators, the tabulator and the contest director are isiZulu speaking products of the KZN and SSA development programs.
4. The man who donated the bulk of the prize money for this event, Mark Snowball, grew up in the exact same streets that these children have grown up in. He rose above a troubled and impoverished childhood to become a successful businessman and dedicated family man. He has surfed the same waves these children are surfing today from his youth to the present day and attributes much of his positivity and success to the uplifting experience and simple enjoyment of riding waves. His message to the children is, “Against all odds you can survive and indeed flourish if you believe in yourself and stay positive.”
5. Tom Hewitt the man who started Umthombo and introduced the idea of surfing to these children still surfs on the Durban beachfront whenever he gets the chance.