Xcel Wetsuits have announced the opening function to their event, the Xcel Supertubes Showdown. The opening function will take place at The Mexican Restaurant, Da Gama Road, Jeffrey's Bay on Wednesday 3rd June at 8:30pm, and will consist of the final selection of invitees, as well as the heat draws. All interested members of the media are invited to attend, along with competitors, their family and friends. Bring your dancing shoes, Stevo Kneelo and Hannes will be jamming after the announcements. Please contact Koffie Jacobs on email: Koffie(at)xcelwetsuits.co.za or on 042-2002717 to confirm attendance. 

What is the Xcel Supertubes Showdown?

A small, local event at Supertubes that offers a slot into the VZ trials as first prize. Four four-man heats of forty-five minutes each, with the winner of each heat going through to a four-man one-hour final. The experienced Mike Ginsberg will be head judge, and local surfers will assist with the judging. The judging criteria will not be specific to ASP standards, but will instead be a situation where ‘the best surfer advances.'

Who is going to be in it?
Invite only.*  Sixteen local surfers and Supers experts. These include the ‘blue collar' surfers who are not pros or competitive surfers, but have an affinity with the Supers lineup and barrel. Craig Els, Warren Tuck, Deon Lategan and Warren Dean to name a few. The rest will be announced at the opening function.

Photo: Dylan Lightfoot is one of the young kids who has turned heads at Supers recently, and has been rewarded with a slot on the invite list. © Koffie

 
Where are they going to surf?
The event will take place at Supertubes, with the contest being judged from the boardwalk and the competitors area in front of Beach Music Guesthouse.

When is going down?
The waiting period for one day of competition is 5-21 June

Why are Xcel running this event?
First prize is a much-coveted slot into the VZ wildcard trials during the WCT. The event will also give local underground surfers who don't get much chance at competing at Supertubes a chance to prove themselves at their homebreak.  
 
This event is sponsored by Xcel Wetsuits, DaKine, Von Zipper, Red Bull, Billabong, Nixon and Sector 9.