2025 Kneelo SA Champs Wrap Up

If you’ve ever tried kneeboarding in Stilbaai, you’ll know one thing is guaranteed. The waves at KG’s have a sneaky habit of looking super inviting and manageable until you’re nosediving on the take-off. 

This year’s SA Kneeboarding Champs, sponsored by Black Media, was no exception. It was a glorious cocktail of serious surfing, less-serious banter, and enough neoprene to keep a small seal colony warm. 

Forget tactic chats and stretching - our opening night ritual involved burgers, beers, and catching up at The Press Room. Competitors arrived armed with stories of their latest boards, barrels, and ‘skunkings’. By the end of the evening, it was clear: the surfing might be competitive, but the vibe was going to stay strictly “kneelo now.” 

Friday and Saturday at KG’s were classic Stilbaai - waves that looked super ripable one moment and like your washing machine the next. The crowd on the beach cheered, chatted, and offered unsolicited surf advice. Still, the surfing standard was high, with rides that reminded everyone why kneeboarding deserves its spot in the spotlight. 

Steven Cruickshank and the Big Finish By the time the finals rolled around, the tide filled in, the wind dropped, and the waves shaped up, turning the competition into a proper showdown. Steven Cruickshank came out on top, proving that whilst he spends most of his time in the tube, he's no stranger to stylish righty hand point rail surfing. His win had the beach stoked – With everyone getting around Cruicky and such a monumental win! 

No SA Champs would be complete without the closing joll at The Stables. There were speeches, there were prizes, and there was, of course, Bobcat’s world renowned closing address. Trophies were handed out, T-bones were enjoyed, and the night ended with enough laughter to make everyone forget how stiff their backs were.

So, what did the 2025 Champs prove? That kneeboarding in South Africa is alive, well, and still slightly ridiculous in all the right ways. We’ve got the talent, the stoke, and the community to make next year’s World Champs feel like just another weekend in Stilbaai - except with more flags and more gold medals. 

As always, theses events would not be possible without the generousity and support from the people. One final thank you to all those who made the 2025 SA Champs such a massive success: