4 minute read
We’re stoked to announce that Siyanda Hewitt has joined Team dryrobe®! Siyanda is an exciting young grom who grew up in South Africa but is now based in the South West of England, just around the corner from dryrobe® HQ.
The talented 14-year-old has been making waves in the British surf scene and has surfing in his blood. Siyanda’s father, Tom, founded Surfers Not Street Children, an incredible charity that uses the intrinsic therapeutic value of surfing to change the lives of vulnerable children in South Africa and Mozambique.
We caught up with Siyanda, to find out a bit more about our newest ambassador…
How did you get into surfing and do you remember what it felt like catching your first wave?
I don’t remember my first wave but we have a picture of me at 4, riding a wave with my dad holding my hand! But I started to surf properly at 8 years old at uShaka beach in Durban and then worked my way up the beach towards New Pier - Durban’s top spot.
What do you love most about surfing and what motivates you to get in the water?
I love surfing and get so frothed about getting out in the sea, the adrenaline rush of riding waves and learning new manoeuvres.
Where’s your favourite surf spot and why do you love it?
In the UK it’s Croyde, without a doubt. It’s a punchy beachie and the different stages of tide give different types of wave. I also have a crew of friends there, all the local groms so we laugh and joke a lot in the line-up.
What’s your favourite thing to do when the surf is flat and you can’t get to a wave pool?
I go to the gym or train. I like to ride a Carver skateboard around Croyde. Apart from that, just chilling.
Is there anyone in the surf world that inspires you as a surfer and if so, why?
Right now it’s Mateus Herdy, he’s blowing up. Did so well at the Mexico CT events as a wild card. Steph Gilmore is so awesome too. I was lucky enough to hang out with her in Mozambique during the filming of the Stab Electric Acid Test.
You met Kelly Slater in South Africa a couple of years ago, what was that like?
Haha, I was nervous because it’s Kelly. He’s friends with my Dad and supports Surfers Not Street Children, who I am a junior ambassador for. Yeah, it was so cool to hang with him.
Your Insta feed is full of awesome shots from surfing at The Wave! Do you think being able to train in a wave pool has benefited you as a competitive surfer and if so, how?
I love The Wave in Bristol so much. It’s so great for training. You can work on single moves over and over again, or just shred! I am very lucky to be an ambassador for The Wave and go there when it is flat in North Devon.
Where is the top of your list to surf, and are you planning on visiting it any time soon?
I really want to surf Trestles and Blacks in SoCal, but there are so many other places I want to go to. I was lucky enough to surf the African Kirra in Mozambique and now want to surf some good Euro spots as well.
What competitions do you have lined up for the rest of this year?
I took a year off contests to work on fitness and boards, and will ease back into contests in September. I’ll do nationals and the Jesus competition and then hope to surf a contest in South Africa in December.
What is your ultimate goal as a competitive surfer and what do you hope to achieve in your surfing career?
My free-surfing has been my focus recently and pushing that is still super important. With contests, I am super-amped to ease back in. The best thing I did was take a year off to just work on my actual surfing, fitness and boards. But I love competing so I’m super ready to do that! Would love to surf for England one day at Worlds, and who knows beyond that!
Follow Siyanda:
Instagram: @siyandahewittsurfer
Photos by N and M Dro-tography
#dryrobeterritory