The legendary Llandudno Beach set the stage for the world’s biggest retro-style surf event, Rolling Retro, as some of South Africa’s top surfers delivered a thrilling day of action on Saturday, 7 February.
Fuelled by Monster Energy, the event drew surfers from across Cape Town and the country to celebrate the sport’s heritage, with competitors riding boards spanning multiple decades. Teams went head-to-head in an elimination format, battling through the heats and for a place in the final.
Big wave surfer and Monster Energy athlete Matt Bromley says the event is about “getting in touch with surfing heritage”. “Many of the boards at Rolling Retro are from the beginning of surfing in South Africa. Each surfer got the opportunity to choose from one of nearly 40 surfboards, most of which were of an old school nature. You had some of the best surfers in the country coming to surf on these old boards and go back to the drawing board and make their style and performance match the board.”
Monster Energy surfer Brendon Gibbins describes Rolling Retro as a “unique way to celebrate surfing.” Competing at the event for the first time, he says, “It was lots of fun. Surfing is so awesome, and the fact that this is a Cape Town event hosted at Llandudno makes it even more special.”
