Bianca Buitendag Surfs her Way into Second Place at Fiji Women’s Pro

South African athlete Bianca Buitendag surfed her way into second place at the Fiji Women’s Pro yesterday. She and Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons battled it out for top prize in heavy conditions on the final day.

Ultimately it was Fitzgibbons who triumphed, showing sheer determination to win the event (for the second year in a row) by overcoming a painful and punctured eardrum to take the title.

However 21-year-old Bianca was on fire this week and made her country extremely proud by pulling some awesome manoeuvres from the start, scoring 9.43 in Round 1, through to the end to clinch second place.

Bianca is now ranked sixth in the world (and Sally third).

The competition, which brought together the finest female surfers in the world, was held on Tavarua, home to two of the best waves in the world, and one of more than 300 islands in the stunning Fiji archipelago.

The World Surf League (WSL) surfers were welcomed to the island “and into this beautiful culture” on 29 May by locals with a ceremony at sunset.

Bianca, who hails from Victoria Bay in SA, recently suffered the devastating loss of her father who had been an incredibly influence in her life. Colin Buitendag, who was himself a Western Province provincial surfer, passed away in March.

On the profile page of her website, written before his death, Bianca revealed “my father was the one who pushed me into my first wave, and he has been supporting me ever since that day. He introduced me to what I now call ‘my first love’, the ocean, and to a sport that I will do for as long as I can walk. My parents are the reason I have all these privileges today. They have been there before and after every heat with a hug of reassurance that they will be proud not matter the outcome.”

There’s no doubt that Colin Buitendag would be so very proud of his beautiful daughter today.

Photos: Kirstin Scholtz. (FB/BiancaBuitendag)