Kealeboga Sibiya
Kimberley Airport was abuzz with excitement as government officials, families, friends and gathered to bid farewell to three Kimberley Diamond Cup (KDC) Champions on 15 September 2026.
They will fly the South African flag high at the KARDO World Finals in Stavropol, Russia from 16 to 20 September 2026.
The trio, Brad Bailey, Ashley Vos and Casey Hendricks, are winners in their respective categories of skateboarding, DJ’ing and graffiti art.
They competed nationally on 15 August 2026, at the Kimberley Skate Park.
Brad, a Kimberley local, claimed victory from 80 Elite skaters.
He is the product of the KDC’s Skateboarding for Hope Development Programme and recently represented South Africa proudly at the Grand Skate Tour in Moscow in August 2025.
Ashley, a DJ Champion won in his category where over 111 entries were received nationwide. He emerges as the voice from the Northern Cape’s creative economy, blending local kasi sounds with global street culture.
Casey, a Graffiti art Champion, topped over 30 entries from across South Africa. His work focuses on youth identity and social storytelling through large scale murals.
Brad, Ashley and Casey expressed how thrilled they are of this opportunity to showcase their skills and talent on an international stage while flying the South African flag high.
They also hope their journeys inspire the youth of South Africa to pursue their talents and skills and chase their dreams while grabbing each opportunity provided to them.
The Director of Tourism Growth in the Northern Cape, Sipho Mampe, expressed his pride and excitement for the Northern Cape youth.
“The KDC serves as a golden ticket to the South African youth who will compete in Russia, with over 196 countries.
“It positions the Northern Cape as a tourist destination especially for extreme sport athletes because of the state of the art skate park that has been built on international standards,” said Mampe.
“This event is important for the economic injection because of various local industries that benefit.”
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