Proudly Surfing

One of NMMU’s main attracting features is its status as the “university by the sea”. And since 1979, The Madibaz Surfing Club has been making the most of our prime location. The Madibaz Surfing Club is always open and out to promote their group to gain more members for the teams and enjoy the best of what Port Elizabeth has to offer.

For the past five years, the Madibaz Surfing Club has had the privilege of being sponsored by Billabong, one of world’s most well-known surfing brands. “As a club, you could not ask for a more generous and caring label. They look after us incredibly well, so we really want to perform in order to give back to them,” explained Dean Cox, Vice Chairman of the club. The Club hopes to be working with Billabong well into the future, alongside their other current sponsor, BOS ice tea.

Most of the surfers in the Madibaz Club are lifestyle surfers. “The nice thing about university surfing is that you generally don’t have to compete against the top guys in the country, which is one of the things that puts a lot of people off surfing competitively,” commented the Club Chairman, Alex Milne.

The Madibaz Surfing Club has a unique way of teaching and learning from each other. The team does not have a coach, but they have a videographer who films during practice. The team believes that the best way to improve their surfing is by watching their own movements and getting some tips from their fellow members.

The Club does not have a specific amount of hours a week to put in, as practices depend on the condition of the waves. “In life, the more you come across, the more you experience, the more you grow,” said Cox. “For me, putting myself out of my comfort zone is one of my favourite things to do when surfing. Being in the ocean, seeing mountains of water approaching you and getting excited to catch a wave is a feeling few can describe.”

Cox also offered some tips for beginner of surfers. His advice is 1. Relax, 2. Have fun, and 3. Surf at a wave of your ability.

Be sure to check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MadibazSurfing/ where they post information and photos of the fun!