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With the 2015 Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS well underway at Lower Point in Jeffreys Bay, we bring you the surfing profile on competitor Luke Malherbe:
It’s a strange thing that a surf zone like East London breeds so many excellent goofy footers. Right-handers like Yellowsands beach and point, Queensbury Bay, Nahoon Reef, and Nahoon Corner are all powerful right-handers that get excellent on the right conditions, throwing good barrels and providing long and peeling walls. Yet many of the best surfers to emerge from this zone have been goofy-footers, like Andrew Carter, David Malherbe, Royden Bryson, Mickey Lindsay and now Luke Malherbe. Powerful and stylish, Luke’s sights are set on a long and illustrious career. Growing up in the right has given him a distinctive advantage, especially when the events take place in decent sized right-handers like the set-ups around JBay.
Surfing judges, despite what many might think, appreciate power and appreciate style, both of which Luke has in bundles. As a result of surfing better waves, most East London surfers tend to develop decent styles, without too much wiggling and flapping (with a few exceptions) and Luke is no exception. Carving backhand turns and swooping linkages on the longer waves of the Lower Point in JBay for the Billabong SA Junior Champs, where Luke is representing Buffalo City in the U17 Boys division. Luke made short work of his opening heat, winning fairly easily from Matthew Sills from eThekweni, Rigter MarkGraaf from Cape Winelands and Theo van Schoor from the Development team.
It’s not really all about winning surfing heats though, and more about loving surfing. Something that the Malherbe family brings to the party. Currently being coached by for World Surf League Championship Tour campaigner, Luke is obviously being taught all the tricks.
The Billabong SA Junior Champs is one of the most popular events on the Junior Calendar. It takes place at the Lower Point in Jeffreys Bay, and it has individual as well as team titles at stake.
Photo: Alan van Gysen
