Next In Line

By: Jeff Mull | March 14th, 2010 at 9:47pm

In the wake of the trumpeted arrival of Zaffa phenom, Jordy Smith, onto the world stage a few short years back, the South African surf scene--one that had been stifled by politics in the past--began taking steps back into the world's vision. We're now looking at two surfers flying the South African flag in the forms of Jordy Smith and Travis Logie on the World Tour, but who, you ask, will carry the Zaffa flag in the coming years? His name is Beyrick De Vries, and he's one hell of a character.

Still in the throngs of being a teenager, De Vries can't go a single minute without a wise crack or an eruption of his infectious laugh. He's currently traveling the pro junior circuit and gaining notoriety in the process. In the past six months, he's dropped mouths at the Cold Water Classic Canada event, had a solid Hawaii performance, and made the finals at the ISA World Junior Games in New Zealand. Couple that with a butter smooth style and competitive grit, and you're looking at a real contender in the making.

Ever honest, through he's completely open about the brutal nature of junior surfing today.

"A lot of people have this image that we're all really carefree but in an important heat, things get pretty rough. For instance, I was in a heat at Worlds and before I paddled out, this guy tells me that he's just gonna sit on me the whole heat, not let me catch a wave," said Beyrick. "So I sort of laughed a bit as we paddled out and I managed to get a wave right off the bat. I think it was a 7-point something or another. So I was laughing at him after that. Then he just paddles as hard as he can right at me and jams the nose of his board into my ribs. We were far out enough where no one could tell what was going on. But I was just like, 'whoa, bru. Calm down.' I think I still one the heat, but that kind of stuff definitely goes down pretty often. Peope take it pretty seriously. "

Still, through the endless jokes, punchlines, and honesty, Beyrick manages to pay a bit of homage to his predecessors.

"I think Jordy opened a lot of the world up to South Africa again. We've got a lot of really hungry surfers down here just jumping to make it. And yeah, I think Jordy helped a lot with that," said De Vries when asked about the sudden upsurge in South African surfing.

As Beyrick continues to break out into the world scene, showcasing how deep the talent pool in South Africa runs, he'll continue to gain recognition as he becomes the next in line to carry the South African flag, and with any luck, a crown.