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weather forecast
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18c
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88%
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5:19 am
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6:06 pm
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Mostly Cloudy
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Surf Forecast
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One of the longest running professional surfing events in the world, the Mr Price Pro, has established legendary status in the world of surfing ever since its inception in 1969.
This is how the illustrious event was born.
In 1966 Durban played host to the first official South African Surfing Championships and three years later a legacy was born in the form of the Durban 500.
Gunston then assumed the sponsorship reins marking the beginning of what would become a landmark surfing event in the world. And perhaps it was the heroics of surfing icon, Shaun Tomson, at the Gunston 500 that made the biggest impact on professional surfing in South Africa.
The Durbanites incredible six year winning streak from 1973 to 1978 propelled surfing into the public limelight for good. Tomson also won the 1977 world title and by the time he retired at the end of 1989, after 13 years in the top 16, he had established himself as a South African surfing icon.
At the turn of the new millennium Mr Price took over the sponsorship role and heralded in a new era for what has historically been one of the country’s biggest surfing tournament.
In the inaugural year’s finals, watched live by a packed beachfront as well as by a massive televeision audience, diminutive Maria Tita Tavares became the first Brazilian female to win a surfing event in South Africa while California’s Taylor Knox made off with the men’s title.
The local contingent had one of their best showings for years with Travis Logie the first South African to feature in the final since 1987, Greg Emslie placing fifth and Red team riders Shaun Gossman and Noel Rahme, as well as Simon Nicholson, all reaching the quarter-finals.
2001 also saw the introduction of the Red Pro Junior event, won by the talented Hawaiian and current ASP World Tour competitor Fred Patacchia, while it was the turn of Peterson Rosa to become the first Brazilian male to win in Durban when he overcame an American challenge presented by Florida’s Lopez brothers, Shea and Cory, and Californian Tim Curran. Jacqueline Silva weighed in with a second consecutive victory for the Brazilian girls.
This was the first surfing event staged in South Africa to pay out more than R1 million in prize-money and the crowds flocked to the beach to see the star studded field that included the likes of 1999 world champ Mark Occhilupo (Aus) and eventual 2001 world champion CJ Hobgood.
Between 2002 and 2006, the Mr Price Pro played host to some of the most sensational surfing with the renowned Irons’ brothers, Andy and Bruce claiming the title in 2004 and 2005 respectively.
However, by far the most exciting year in the event’s 39 year history came in 2006 when Durban surfer Ricky Basnett (Bluff) brought South Africa out of the shadows, by being the first South African to win the event in 28 years! Basnett defeated Australian Dayan Neve and cloaked in the South African flag was carried up the beach through a sea of adoring supporters.
In 2007, Jihad Khodr left yet another Brazilian stamp of authority on the event, becoming the fourth Brazilian to clinch the title in eight years. In the Women’s 5-Star Mr Price Pro WQS event it was Melanie Redman-Carr (Western Australia) who captured her 11th ASP World Qualifying Series victory when she ousted fellow Australian Rebecca Woods in a nail-biting final. In the Mr Price Pro Junior, Klee Strachan and Nikita Robb where crowned champions.
This year, as the ninth edition of the Mr Price Pro rolls into Durban, new names will be inscribed into the history of surfing books forever. Mr Price invites you to be a part of the action as the legacy of one of the greatest surfing events on the African continent continues on Durban’s Golden Mile.
South African surfing icon, Shaun Thompson
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