Keri's Couch: The legendary Durban surfer making serious waves

If you follow SA sports enough, you will think of waves, water, and the beach when you hear the name Tasha Mentasti. What might also come to mind is 'national surfing champion' and a coach and leader for Paralympic surfers representing South Africa. 

Keri Miller found it fitting to invite the record-breaking surfer and Durbanite to Keri's Couch in celebration of all her accomplishments in her line of work, but to also get to know Tasha Mentasti beyond the surfing. 

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Menstasti has been surfing for as long as she remembers. She was fortunate to have her dad teach her and her siblings the sport. She now sits as the first woman coach to represent South Africa at a global level. 

Her accomplishments include being a pro surfer, which means she has been surfing for more than 30 years. 

Mentasti was also able to build a career within the surf event industry as event director, contest director, and commentator. 

She also runs all of Surfing South Africa’s (SSA) surf education courses around the country, which includes the training of coaches. 

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Surfing for Mentasti is more than just something she's absolutely brilliant at. 

She is passionate about helping others achieve their goals and dreams in the water. That is how she created Surf Therapy, an organisation she describes as as a form of adventure or outdoor therapy: "From simply reducing stress levels and boosting confidence, to amazing health and rehabilitation benefits for those with more specific needs."

She also does adaptive surfing with Surf Therapy. 

Did she really think she would achieve all of the above and make such an honourable name for herself in the industry? 

Take a listen: 

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What is adaptive surfing? The sport sees Tasha train people with disabilities to adapt their style, stance or technique in order to catch and ride waves. 

Surfing is a male-dominated industry, like most sports. Nevertheless, Mensasti has managed to make a lasting mark on the South African surfing scene. 

Take a listen to how she managed to work her way to being a surfing giant in South Africa:

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Have a look at her iconic moves at the SA Masters Championships 2021. 

She might be teaching and coaching, but she is still a pro at what she does. 

Take a look:

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A perfect 10 point ride is no small feat in surfing and she managed to hit it.

"In the individual finals the star of the event was Eden team member Tasha Mentasti, who not only won the Over 30 Women’s title by beating seven time champion and South African surfing legend, Heather Clark in the Final, but also scored a perfect 10 point ride in her semi- final and was named Surfer of the Contest," the media release of SA Master Championships read. 

Definitely a legendary woman who continues to make waves in her industry and gets better and better with time. 

Here's a look at her killing the waves: 

Main Image Courtesy: Supplied