Umhlanga star second in Mexico

South African, Beyrick de Vries, posted the best result of his professional surfing career when he finished second in the US $155 000, 6-Star Los Cabos Open of Surf in Mexico over the past weekend.

The 20-year-old from Umhlanga, who has just returned to competition after a knee injury and was seeded 39th at the event, overcame a number of top-ranked surfers on his way to the final where he finished runner-up to Dillon Perillo (USA) in the clean one-metre surf at the Zippers surf break.

"I came into this contest and was happy to make it from my round of 96 to 48, because I’m just trying to make it to the midyear cut-off so I can be in the Primes for the second half of the year,” De Vries said. “I’ve just come off of a knee injury and this is the first event where I’ve been able to put an air in to my repertoire. I’ve been surfing safe at a lot of contests and doing them just to keep a seed.To be able to surf out there and get second, I’m just overwhelmed, I’m so happy."

De Vries earned $12 500 (approx. R125 000) and 2 640 points which rocketed him 81 places up the ASP World Rankings to No. 41, ensuring his qualification for the seven remaining ASP Prime rated events in 2013 which are vital for any surfer with aspirations of qualifying for one of the 10 spots available on the ASP World Championship Tour (WCT) each year.

The confidence-boosting result will see de Vries taking plenty of momentum into his next major event, the $250 000 Prime rated Mr Price Pro Ballito, which will be the only ASP rated event to be held in South Africa this year and runs from July 1-7 at Willards Beach, within a couple of kilometres of de Vries’ home in Umhlanga.

Other South Africans in action in Mexico included Dale Staples (St Francis Bay) and Mikey February (Kommetjie), who finished equal 37th when they placed fourth in their respective Round of 48 heats. Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay) placed equal 49th and David van Zyl (Glenashley) was equal 97th overall.

(File Photo:Gallo Images)

- ASP Africa

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