Team rider Lucy speaks about her incredible trip to South Africa for the Tour D'Afrique and Waveski World Championships. Surfing alongside world-class athletes, and experienced the thrill of competition, taking 3rd place in the Women's Open.
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Team rider Lucy McQueen shares her exciting journey to South Africa for the Tour D'Afrique and Waveski World Championships.
Home from an amazing trip in South Africa for the Tour D'Afrique and Waveski World Championships. What a fantastic experience in a beautiful country. We settled into the South African swing much easier than we thought. After driving out of Cape Town, our first stop was Jongensfontien, a small village with a relaxed beachside vibe. We missed the competition as they started a day later than initially planned, and we couldn't change our travel plans. It was a bit of a disappointment, but it allowed us to recover from our journey. We managed to squeeze in a few free surfs around the competition, shaking off the nerves before moving on to JBay. I also picked up my new custom ski, kindly gifted to me by a friend and crafted by Ant Stott at MacSki, so I was able to set it up and surf it before using it in competition.
A few days later, we were packed up and ready to head to the next stop. The anticipation of arriving at the next destination returned as we set off again. Four hours of driving on long straight roads lined with green mountains, free-roaming baboons, and topped with blue skies meant there was no need for a book to distract us from the journey. The scenery was breathtaking, and a one-night stay in a Wildlife Reserve added to the magic as we came up close and personal with the Big Five, a dream fulfilled for us and our 5-year-old boy.
We arrived at JBay amidst the chaos of the Corona JBay Classic being held at Supertubes. We stayed right in the middle of it all, and before our competition started, we sat on the beach and watched Stephanie Gilmore shred it to pieces. She was so inspiring to watch, and it lit a fire in my belly as the next day we would start our competition around the corner at Magnatubes.
The waves over the two days were a mixture of perfect to petrifying. After a close shave with the reef in one of my heats, I ended up placing 2nd in the Women's division. It was a nice warm-up for the main event up and coming! After a really fun few days at Jeffreys Bay, staying with the awesome Aussie waveski team, it was time to pack up again and head to Nahoon Reef, East London.
Another four-hour drive past beautiful beaches and through mountainous valleys landed us in East London. It was a bit of a culture shock compared to the small surf-side places we visited previously but soon came to realize its beauty when we ventured down through the nature reserve to Nahoon Reef.
We had a week of surfing the reef to try and work it out before the competition started, so the fun began. We had no idea it would not go as planned! The first days were lighthearted fun, gradually figuring out where to sit and how to surf the wave. Then the swell increased, and it got a bit more intense! Even with the bigger swell, we started to learn how to handle it. As more paddlers arrived, it was great to see everyone doing their thing. All was going well until two days before the competition started. I rolled under the lip of a wave. It was kind of big, and I was pushed down, but it didn't feel too bad. As I rolled up and decided to paddle for the next wave, I realised something wasn't quite right. I looked down, and the nose of the board was gone. Up it popped next to me as it dawned on me what had happened.
No, a shark didn't chomp it. The impact had snapped it clean off. That was it; I thought my World Championships had finished before it had even started. A few tears later and a long paddle back in holding onto my new spare part, I was comforted by my fellow paddlers at the water's edge. Before I even got my wetsuit off though, local charger and friend, Bruce Viaene, had organised a quick fix, and that afternoon it was dropped at Fenn Kayaks in the hope they could work some magic. I wasn't hopeful, so the next day I took out the backup board to try and get used to it. Luck had taken a turn for the worse now as my husband had also snapped his board in the same way, so we would be sharing the spare! The opening ceremony was that night, and with the competition starting the next day, things weren't looking good. But before I could finish my welcome drink, the phone rang, and I was shooting off to pick up my fixed board! It was back in one piece, and the repair was rather good. I surfed it in my first heat the next day, and it was like nothing had even happened. Fenn Kayaks are magicians!
A long nine days of competition followed. The days you were due to compete, walking down to the competition site that morning, wondering what the waves were like and trying to calm the nerves while you waited for your time. Then, when the time comes to get suited up, get your rash vest and try to watch the waves in those minutes before you can paddle out, it's all about focus. Once the hooter goes, that's it. Twenty minutes to try and find at least two of your best waves, and that time goes quickly when you're waiting for those waves!
I seemed to get into the habit of getting my score in the last five minutes, which was intense for those cheering me on! I went on to win my age group, and I came 3rd in the Women's Open. I'm so happy with my result, and the focus is already on the next Worlds in 2026, trying to improve on that 3rd place! There are a few competitions happening in the UK and Europe in the two-year gap, and lots of exciting events to try and get more people involved in waveski, so I'm excited for the years ahead!