Cape Town gets ready for Rolling Retro Surfing Celebration

Rolling Retro 2018

Best Surfing event of Year

The longest running Retro surfing event in the world, Rolling Retro, is back for its 9th year. Every year the Cape Town surfing fraternity come out to surf a surfboard from the incredible collection, owned by Robby McDonald of Vudu Surf, enjoy a day on the beach with family and friends and to enjoy the old school music and beach party vibes. Rolling Retro helps to raise funds for the Llandudno Lifesaving Club (Remember to bring cash, as food and bar available.)

One of the best retro Surfboard Collections in the World

One of the biggest attraction for all surfers is the incredible collection of retro surfboards, that are brought out once a year, for the event. During the year, these boards, a huge part of South Africa’s surfing heritage, are kept in storage. Robby and partner, Kai Linder (Captain Kai in SA surfing circles) decided to start the event so that their friends and the local surf community could see, touch and surf these incredible pieces of history, while having a good time and helping raise funds. Rolling Retro quickly grew into the local communities most popular day of the year. 

Surfers from all Cape communities and even further abroad descend onto the beach each year to enter the event. Every entrant gets to pick a surfboard from the collection and surf a 30 minute heat with 9 other people in the water. It is important to note that the event is not a competition, but rather a celebration of surfing and its heritage, so there are no judges and no finals such as normal competitions. Instead Captain Kai and fellow MC, Ilan Sheer, choose prize winners from a range of categories through the day, all awarded during the jubilant prize giving.

This year the event sees the following divisions:

– Surfing

– Log (Ancient Single fin craft)

– Bodysurfing

– Bodyboard

– Kneeboard

Prizes Categories:

– Best Surfer (Male)

– Best Surfer (Female)

– Best grom

– Best Bodysurfer

– Best Longboarder

– Best Tube

– Best Dressed (Male & female)

– Instagram winner x 3

– plenty give aways and throw outs

All ages are welcome and some heats see fathers, sons and daughters surfing together – another unique aspect of the event. Once the surfing is done and prizes awarded, the music starts and the day is finished by an old school sunset beach party. This year the theme of the event is the Reggae Revival and sees Reggae MC, Crosby and his Rasta DJ. Thirsts will be quenched by Presenting Sponsor, Striped Horse beer, Red Bull and the party vibe cultivated by local tequila manufacturer, Leonista. Prizes are sponsored by Billabong, Hurricane Surf, Skullcandy, Von Zipper and Vudu Surf. The event is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa.

Registration starts at 8am with the first heats in the water at 9am. The day is finished with the annual Pro Heat, showcasing some of SA’s top surfers and a crew of the best local surfers from Llandudno (Around 5pm). This year will include multiple best surfer, Michael Grendon, current SA Champ, Brandon Benjamin, as well as last year’s best surfer, Dale Staples.

Due to the nature of surfing, there is provision for an alternate date, if the weather does not play ball. The final call is made on Wednesday 28th February.

Date: Sunday 4 March 2018

Backup Date: Sunday 18 March 2018

Entry Fee: R150

All Pics credited to, Ian Thurtell.

Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1942076982710610/

Very Important:

– We try to be as environmentally conscious as possible and all rubbish is recycled. There will be no straws at the event and we ask that all people attending help us to keep Llandudno clean by using the supplied bins and not smoking cigarettes.

– Also note that no alcohol can be brought into the venue

– Llandudno has minimal parking available and you don’t need to bring your own surfboards, so we highly advise using a taxi service to and from the event. PLEASE DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE!

Contact:

Kai Linder

C: 0741542618

E: kaisurf@yahoo.com