What: Roxy Invitational Mozambique Presented by Salt Water Girl
Where: Ponto Do Oro Mozambique
When: 4 – 11 March 2008

The Roxy Invitational Mozambique presented by Saltwater Girl Magazine is an invite-only surfing event that takes place at Ponto Do Oro in Mozambique. It has an 8-day waiting period to make sure that the girls get to surf the best waves, and the first prize is R10,000.

The first round of the event kicked off earlier in the week, with contest organisers deciding to hold off the semi finals and final for a day or two, until the surf was optimum. The decision to wait paid off as just days later, the perfect right-hand wave revealed clean three to four-foot surf, with a light offshore wind blowing. These elements, combined with a pushing tide, made for some great waves for the final, running for an epic 200-metres down the point.

It was the battle of the goofy-footers, with all four of the finalists in the Roxy Invitational being right-foot forward surfers, and thus all four of them surfing with their backs to the waves. The finalists were Bianca Buitendag from Victoria Bay, Sarah Baum from Warner Beach, Heather Clarke from Port Shepstone and Chantelle Rautenbach representing for Melkbosstrand.

From the start of the 45-minute final it was clear that it was going to be a battle between Heather Clarke’s experience and power surfing against the aggressive and radical approach of the trio of youngsters. Heather snagged an excellent wave right off the starting siren and performed radical turns all the way down the beach.

Not to be outdone, Chantelle and Sarah responded with high-scoring moves on their first rides as well. Bianca was also on form, but failed to find any of the good waves that the other girls were getting.

With an unlimited wave count and jetski assist, the girls were exhausted by the end of the 45-minute final, with all four girls riding over 10 waves each. Despite a spirited attack from both Chantelle and Sarah, it was Heather Clarke who surfed her way into the history books and into the R10,000 first prize cheque. Sarah Baum picked up the R3,000 cheque and Chantelle Rautenbach got the third prize of R2,000.

Final
1. Heather Clark 19
2. Sarah Baum 16.5
3. Chantelle Rautenbach 15
4. Bianca Buitendag 13.5

Semi one
1. Heather Clark 16.5
2. Chantelle Rautenbach 14.5
3. Sarah Maritz 12.7
4. Nicole Annels 8.5

Semi two
1. Sarah Baum 14
2. Bianca Buitendag 13.5
3. Kirsty Delport 13.3
4. Alice McGregor 13