The 26th Annual Vintners Surf Classic in Jongensfontein was overshadowed by tragedy on Friday after respected school sports photographer and surfer Thys Lombard died after collapsing while surfing.
Lombard, 61, from Stellenbosch, was surfing at Sandstrand when he became unconscious. Fellow surfers brought him to shore and immediately began CPR before the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), medics and Western Cape Government Health EMS arrived.
The NSRI Still Bay duty crew was activated at about 2pm, with its rescue craft Breede Rescuer already on the water near the local surfing competition. Two NSRI crew members were deployed to swim ashore and assist with resuscitation efforts. Despite extensive attempts to revive him, Lombard was declared dead at the scene. An inquest docket has been opened.
Lombard leaves behind a substantial legacy in South African sport, particularly schoolboy rugby, where his lens captured generations of players who went on to represent the country at the highest level.
Andy Daniel, SuperSchools Sport broadcaster and presenter of The Rugby Factory, said the rugby world was “much poorer” following the death of his friend.
Daniel said Lombard, a former Paarl Gim pupil and rugby player, was “rugby-mad” and had worked in the wine industry before turning his passion for photography into his career.
“When you turned up to a rugby match, you would always start looking around for him,” Daniel said. “He always had the biggest smile, was always pleased to see you and always had a story to tell about players he had met.”
Daniel described Lombard as the “ultimate storyteller with his photography”, saying his lens had captured many South African players from their school rugby days, including future Springboks.
Sports commentator Marco Botha also paid tribute, describing Lombard as a gentle person with a big heart and a gift for capturing memories through his photography.
The tributes have extended into the surfing community, where surfers paddled out to honour Lombard. Social-media messages described him as a friend, a community figure and a man who would be deeply missed in the lineup.
One particularly poignant tribute from iShoot Stories noted that Lombard had been expected to photograph the Paul Roos-Grey College match on Saturday, camera and phone in hand, “doing what he loved” – but that day never came for him.
