Women's surfing will take centre stage this week, with the Roxy Wahine Cup happening at Suncoast Beach on Saturday and on Sunday, followed by the Billabong Girls Get Out There Summer Surf Series in Margate on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
Initiated by Surfing South Africa (SSA) seven years ago, the Roxy Wahine Cup has swiftly become not only the largest stand-alone women's contest in the country, but also the most prestigious.
With a record number of entries, the weekend's competition will include some of the most decorated names in South African surfing.
Five times ASP Africa champion Tamarys de Marroussem (Westbrook), South African junior champion Tammy-Lee Smith (Ballito), Western Province champion Stacey Guy (CT), international junior star Nikita Robb (East London) as well as up and coming juniors Sarah Baum (Athlone Park) and Heidi Palmboom (Bluff) will all be in action at Suncoast Beach.
The event also includes a rock concert on the beach presented by Roxy, which takes place on Suncoast's lawns this evening, featuring live performances by popular bands Love Jones, Driverlane and the massive Parlotones.
The event launches the Roxy Learn to Surf Summer Tour, which takes place at prime beaches on the South African east and west coasts simultaneously.
The event culminates with the crowning of the 2006 champions on Suncoast Beach lawns on Sunday afternoon.
With just a day's break in the competition, surfers will head 100km south to the holiday resort of Margate for the second stop on the Billabong Girls Get Out There surf series on Tuesday.
Leading the ratings is round one winner Sarah Johnston (Warner Beach), who earned the biggest chunk of the R12 500 at stake in the Open women's event in Durban in September, and who will join pro junior champion Taryn Chudleigh and U15 champion Alice McGregor (East London) to stamp their authority on the proceedings.
Nearly 60 top surfers from every corner of the coastline have confirmed their participation in the lucrative Open and Pro Junior events.
The likes of multiple South African champion De Marroussem, Guy and Jessica Matthews (Cape St Francis) will be among the top contenders for the Open title next week.
The event also offers a novice division for first time competitors, as well as free "Learn To Surf" lessons with all equipment, qualified coaches, yoga lessons, impromptu beach volleyball games and a unique creative art project that will benefit turtle research.
Unique to this event, girls and boys can participate in the art project by making their mark on marine themed canvases set up on easels on the beach using the brushes and paint provided.
This environmental collaboration between Billabong and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife will see the completed works auctioned at the event with proceeds donated to the turtle fund where they will be used to purchase satellite tracking devices.
The event culminates on Wednesday afternoon when winners will be presented with their prizes.