Author: AdminBallitoPro

Hottest musical acts set to rock the north coast at The Ballito Pro, presented by Billabong

Fierce surfing action, searing cooking contests, non-stop sports’ activities and daily entertainment are planned for 2017’s Ballito Pro, presented by Billabong with this annual holiday festival culminating in two days of incredible musical talent at The Cadbury 5Star Ballito Pro FREE Music Concerts Powered by 5FM.

This all-star concert will take over the Salt Rock Beach Stage on Thursday, 6 and Friday, 7 July featuring a cross-section of South African musical genres including urban, rap, electronic, pop, indie and folk.

“This year, festival-goers will be given the chance to watch 10 of South Africa’s best musicians and DJs in one of the province’s most beautiful settings, all free of charge,” said event co-ordinator, Collette Bundy. “The varied line-up will showcase the incredible range of talent within the country, suited to a mix of tastes and interests.”

Getting the concert going on Thursday, 6 July is South African rapper Smiso ‘Okmalumkoolkat’ Zwane, bringing beats from his latest album, Mlazi Milano. Gauteng’s multi-award-winning rapper, Kwesta, will then take to the stage to prove exactly why he stole the show at the recent South African Music Awards. Kwesta walked away with a list of titles, including Best Collaboration Album, Samro’s Highest Airplay of the Year, SAMPRA Highest Airplay of the Year, Best Rap Album, Best Male Artist of the Year and Best Album of the Year for his Dakar II album and hit single, Ngud.

One of Durban’s hottest electronic duo’s, Snapbvck – consisting of Ryan James and Rhys Fataar – will bring the ‘Noise’ with hits from their debut album, ‘Forget the Name’ which is already making waves in the music industry. The energy levels are set to rise even further when one of the country’s most versatile musicians, Ph Madubela aka DJ p.H, shows off his incredible talent for dropping the beat at just the right time. And, bringing the first night to an epic close is the man who was born to entertain, DJ Lloyd. The audience can look forward to this icon’s vibey sound backed by some serious dance music experience.

Forming part of the official After Dark Parties taking place at Crush Nightclub, upcoming talent will get a chance to showcase their musical know-how during the Battle of the DJs with the winner taking to the stage at The Cadbury 5Star Ballito Pro FREE Music Concerts Powered by 5FM Thursday set.

One of the country’s most in-demand musicians, Matthew Mole, will prove his impressive singer/songwriter talent on the beach stage as the opening act for day two of The Cadbury 5Star Ballito Pro FREE Music Concerts Powered by 5FM on Friday, 7 July. This pop-folk musical set will be followed by the unmistakable sound of Desmond and the Tutus whose style has been described as ‘an awesome blend of rock n roll, indie kwela, pop and genius’. Renowned as one of the country’s best live acts, it will take a band of supreme ability to follow. And December Streets is just that. This Pretoria-based indie rock band has an eclectic rhythm and great beats that unite musical genres and people.

After breaking onto the South African music stage in 2016 as an Idols competitor, Pietermaritzburg’s Matt Gardiner has impressed audiences with his strong vocals and captivating performances. Describing music as his life, Gardiner names Mumford & Sons as well as fellow performer, Matthew Mole, as some of his biggest musical influences. This talented one-man-band is preparing to put on another entertaining gig.

Also taking to the stage on Friday are the acoustic duo of Rudi Greyvenstein and Gary Nixon who make up The Kickstands, a band whose mellow vibe links them back to their KwaZulu-Natal South Coast roots. The two have the enviable ability of creating an amazingly effortless sound that appeals to a variety of tastes and their understated manner explodes on stage wealth of musical talent. Established in 2009, the pair have played more than a thousand gigs across southern Africa, with their live performances characterised by a unique, improvised and energetic sound that wins them fans wherever they go. Anyone who hasn’t watched this band live are in for a special treat.

Closing off the set in some serious style is the hugely energetic, Kyle Cassim. Playing anything from deep soulful house to electronic dance music, while always reading the crowd, Cassim is sure to keep the audience dancing to the very end.

“We are so excited that Cadbury 5Star gets to be part of the Ballito Pro for a second time in a row and we can’t wait for our fans to enjoy these fantastic artists in a beautiful setting,” said Grant van Niekerk, Mondelez SA Category Lead for Chocolate.

The Cadbury 5Star Ballito Pro FREE Music Concerts Powered by 5FM is a fantastic addition to the festival’s action-packed programme which includes extreme motocross performances by Bruce and Brent le Riche, sponsored by Monster Energy Drink; the Night of Food & Wine cooking contests and entertainment on Tuesday, 4 and Wednesday, 5 July; a host of shopping opportunities at the Retail Delight; sports fun and beach action at the Coca Cola Football Arena and ongoing children’s entertainment at the Willard Beach Kids’ Zone. The Save the Waves campaign will run throughout the festival, encouraging waste recycling while educating beach-goers about ocean conservation.

The musical entertainment also continues at the official After Dark Parties taking place at Ballito’s biggest nightlife venue, Crush Nightclub, with the two dance floors hosting some of the country’s hottest DJs from 30 June to 9 July.

All this fantastic action is centred around the longest-running professional surfing event taking place at Willard Beach. Don’t miss out on any of the action at The Ballito Pro, presented by Billabong, from 27 June to 9 July.

 

The Cadbury 5Star Ballito Pro FREE Music Concerts Powered by 5FM Line-Up

THURSDAY, 6 JULY
Okmalumkoolkat
Kwesta
Snapbvck
PH
DJ Lloyd
Crush Nightclub Battle of the DJs winner

FRIDAY, 7 JULY
Matthew Mole
Desmond & the Tutus
December Streets
The Kickstands
Matt Gardiner
Kyle Cassim

The vibrant KwaZulu-Natal North Coast is about to heat up this winter as it plays host to The Ballito Pro, presented by Billabong, for the ninth consecutive year. Bringing with it international surfing stars, South African musical legends and action-packed entertainment from 27 June to 9 July, visitors are in for a treat this year.

“The return of the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong to KwaDukuza is a true testament to the region’s incredible surf conditions and warm coastal atmosphere,” said event organiser, Collette Bundy. “We want to make sure that every visitor to this year’s event finds something that appeals to them which is why we’ve organised an incredible two-week programme suited to all ages and tastes.”

What started as a surfing contest on the South African East Coast 49 years ago has evolved into one of the country’s most spectacular holiday festivals while keeping at heart the element which prompted the event – a love of the ocean. The longest-running professional surfing event will continue at Willard Beach, Ballito with a host of exciting events taking place around this central action.

South Africa’s hottest musical acts will be performing their greatest hits at this year’s Cadburys Five Star Ballito Pro Music Concerts Powered by 5FM taking place at the Salt Rock beach stage from Thursday 6 to Friday 7 July. Audiences can expect the likes of December Streets, Matthew Mole, Okmalumkoolkat, Kwesta, Snapbvck, Kyle Cassim, Desmond & the Tutus, PH and DJ Lloyd.

The musical entertainment continues at the official After Dark Parties taking place at Ballito’s biggest nightlife venue, Crush Nightclub, with the two dance floors hosting some of the country’s hottest DJs – among them Chunda Munki, Bomsquad and Vimo – along with incredible drinks specials from 30 June to 9 July. Partygoers will also get a taste of upcoming talent at the Battle of the DJs with the contest reaching its crescendo on Saturday, 8 July at the finals.

Returning this year after impressing audiences at the 2016 edition are world-ranked extreme motorcyclists, Bruce and Brent le Riche, sponsored by Monster Energy Drink. This dynamic duo will perform an unbelievable array of death-defying stunts at the Willard Beach Extreme Sports zone from Thursday, 6 to Sunday, 9 July. Visitors will also get the chance to check out some of the greatest skateboards at the Monster Skate Jam with young skaters given the chance to try out the ramps after the shows.

Foodies are in for a tasty delight at the Night of Food & Wine event also taking place at the main festival area at Willard Beach from Tuesday 4 July from 5pm to 10.30pm and Wednesday 5 July from 5.30pm to 10.30pm. The public is given a delectable platform to showcase their hidden culinary skills in the Freak Shake and Shisa Nyama Cooking Competitions while professionals in the industry will also be given the opportunity to prove their worth at the Celebrity Cook-off. While things get heated in the kitchen contests, the audience can enjoy the fashion shows, wine tastings, craft beer and cocktails on offer.

Daily live entertainment will be available at the Retail Delight which will feature an abundance of quality arts and crafts, various exhibitions and retail stalls. Visitors can also grab a bite to eat at the food court, offering meals to suit every taste, while the cider garden will provide refreshing drinks throughout the festival. And, for those looking to get some exercise, there will be non-stop Beach Action at the Coca Cola Football Arena with daily beach soccer entertainment. And the children will be well catered for at Willard Beach’s Kids’ Corner with ongoing face painting, water balls, sandcastle-building contests and other fun activities.

Committed to the rehabilitation of the ocean, festival organisers have brought back the hugely successful Save the Waves Campaign, sponsored by Dolphin Coast Waste Management. The hazards of plastic waste, the importance of recycling as well as the ocean’s lifegiving elements will be highlighted through this educational campaign with visitors encouraged to use the recycling stations across the festival venue.

Make sure you don’t miss out on any of the holiday action taking place from 27 June to 9 July at venues around KwaDukuza.

Ballito Pro Surf Festival Brings World’s Best to KwaDukuza in June

The World Surf League’s top ranked performers will be joined by the cream of South Africa’s men, women and junior surfers for a 14 day festival of high performance action in the waves of Willard Beach in Ballito on the KwaDukuza coast from June 27 to 9 July this year.

For the ninth successive year the region will host the world’s best men in the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong, a WSL Qualifying Series (QS) 10,000 rated event with a prize-pool of R3.4 million and the highest available ranking points on offer.

The women will showcase their talent in the QS1,000 Ballito Women’s Pro pres. by Billabong while the Billabong Junior Series includes events for men and women aged 18-and-than ever under at Ballito for the second year.

“KwaDukuza Municipality is pleased to come together yet again with our valued partners to host yet another spectacular internationally renowned sporting event, which continues to position our area as a leading events tourism destination,” says the Mayor of KwaDukuza, Cllr Ricardo Mthembu. “We look forward to the upcoming event as it enters its 9th year on KwaDukuza soil.

“The Ballito Pro presented by Billabong is an important stop on the World Surf League tour and plays a critical role as a platform for local South Africans to develop within the sport. Needless to say, it is our fundamental aim to develop our people both economically and socially through events of this nature and we anticipate another successful year in 2017. We are calling on our community and business community to ensure that they provide our visitors with an experience they will remember. We wish all our participants a happy stay in our district and hope that they will enjoy a spectacular experience. We are also looking forward to renewing our partnership with the World Surfing League beyond 2017.”

The 49th edition of the world’s longest running professional surfing event will be bigger and better than ever in 2017 as it again welcomes the support of global apparel and equipment giant Billabong, who are celebrating the 20th annual running of their acclaimed Billabong Junior Series this year.

“Billabong is honoured to continue our relationship with KwaDukuza,” says Chad D’Arcy, Group Marketing & Sales Manager for Billabong South Africa. “The Ballito Pro is the highlight of our competitive year and we look forward to once again presenting this amazing event in 2017.

“We are an authentic surf brand, with a proud legacy of hosting world class surfing events. We are excited to help nurture competitive surfing in South African and give our athletes the best platforms to compete on the world stage. Billabong would like to wish all of the competitors and spectators at this year’s event amazing waves and great weather.”

The 2016 field for the Ballito Pro pres. by Billabong included a dozen of the world’s elite WSL Championship Tour (CT) surfers and was won by Connor O’Leary (AUS), who along with runner-up Joan Duru (FRA), Ezekiel Lau (HAW), Jeremy Flores (FRA) and Australians Ethan Ewing and Jack Freestone all went on to qualify for the prestigious 2017 CT thanks to the significant number of ranking points they earned in Ballito.

The 112-man field for the event provides the local WSL Africa members with invaluable experience competing against the world’s best, along with opportunities to earn prize-money and coveted rankings points which assist them in gaining entry to the higher rated events internationally and also count towards the annual WSL Africa title.

Similarly, those in the Ballito Women’s Pro pres. by Billabong earn prize-money and points on both the international and regional rankings while the competitors 18-and-under in the Billabong Junior Series will be striving for the prestigious event titles and selection for the WSL Africa squad that is invited to the annual WSL World Junior Championships.

“It’s been an honour and a pleasure for WSL Africa to work alongside such a progressive thinking municipality as KwaDukuza for the past nine years,” said WSL Africa Operations Manager, Colin Fitch. “We’re so grateful to the town of Ballito and its residents for welcoming the surfers into their homes and surf for 14 days of world class surfing.”

“The Ballito Pro has become one of the most important events on the World Surf League Qualifying Series and most of the winners have gone on to qualify for the elite WSL Championship Tour the following year. Sincere thanks to KwaDukuza and Billabong for turning the dreams of so many South African surfers of all races into a reality.”

The Ballito Pro Surf Festival kicks off with the Billabong Junior Series from June 27-29 followed by the Surfing South Africa Trials pres. by Billabong on June 30 and the Ballito Women’s Pro pres. by Billabong on 1 and 2 July.

The crown jewel of the festival, the QS10,000 Ballito Pro pres. by Billabong takes centre stage from Monday to Sunday, July 3-9.

Alongside the surfing, visitors will be spoiled for choice with non-stop activities providing even more entertainment throughout the Ballito festival site. South Africa’s hottest musical acts appealing to all tastes – rock, pop, hip hop, kwaito, electro and dance – will be performing live on Salt Rock Beach over the last weekend. Beach and extreme sports, culinary contests as well as quality retail and food stalls will captivate visitors to this coastal holiday highlight.

Connor O’Leary (AUS) won the Ballito Pro presented Billabong in epic 1m – 1.5 waves at Willard Beach in KwaDukuza today, defeating Joan Duru (FRA) in the final held in front of a packed beach basking in warm mid-winter sunshine and windless conditions.

In a high scoring final where the lead constantly changed hands, both surfers posted excellent rides on their backhand in the long right-handers before O’Leary etched his name on the winner’s trophy with an explosive ride punctuated by three vertical re-entries for a 9.20 and a 17.30 vs. 15.80 victory.

“It’s surreal. I feel like it hasn’t actually happened and it hasn’t hit me yet. I’m just over the moon,” said O’Leary. “It’s one of my best results so far. To make the final I was beyond stoked and to take the win just tops it off. Joan’s surfing has been amazing recently and he’s one of my favorite surfers on the QS, so to have a final with him was amazing.”

Victory in the first World Surf League (WSL) QS 10,000 rated event of the year earned O’Leary US $40 000 (about R600 000) and his haul of 10 000 points saw the 22 year-old move up 13 places to No. 2 in the rankings.

Duru, ranked No. 8 on the QS coming into the Ballito Pro, franked that form by racking up several of the highest single ride and heat scores during the event.

“That final was close and it was the guy that got the best wavs that was going to win. I got one good one and then I lost priority,’ said Duru. “It’s one of best results in my career so far. Every year I get good results but never as good as this one, so I’m really happy with second place. You surf against some of the best guys in the world, so if you lose one heat it’s okay.”

The Frenchman used his lethal backhand to eliminate local favourite Beyrick de Vries (ZAF) in the quarters and his runner-up finish elevated him to No. 3 on the QS rankings.

Ezekiel Lau (HAW) finished equal third in the Ballito Pro after an outstanding run that saw him oust elite Championship Tour (CT) competitors Stu Kennedy and Jack Freestone, both from Australia, before losing to O’Leary in their semi-final clash.

“For sure it’s my best result on the road and the furthest I’ve been I a QS 10 000, so I’m happy with the result,” said Lau. “I’m disappointed because I wanted to make the final really badly but that’s just how it goes. Connor has been surfing well, with some of the highest scores of the event, and I decided to go for the airs, but I came unstuck.”

Jeremy Flores (FRA), in his tenth year at the highest echelons of competition surfing, narrowly lost out in a see-saw, high scoring semi-final duel with compatriot Duru. Flores delivered two excellent scores of 8.93 and 8.70, but ultimately could not match Duru’s 9.30 and near-perfect 9.90 (the highest single ride score of the event), and had to settle for equal third place.

“Before coming here, if someone had told me that I would be in the semi-finals I would have taken it. It’s definitely a good result and hopefully I keep building from now on,’ said Flores. “I haven’t had any of the results that I wanted in the CT and now I have to back it up with some QS, which is definitely not easy at all because the QS is so hard. This semi-final result is definitely a keeper for me and a good confidence boost.”

The 6 500 points Flores collected for third place in his first QS event of the year resulted in him leapfrogging straight into 14th place on the rankings, underlining the value the Ballito Pro provides on the world stage.

Beyrick de Vries (ZAF) produced the best performance by a South African and his fifth place finish saw his ranking jump from 98th to 12th, moving him into contention to qualify for the 2017 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour. The uMhlanga local also collected an additional R50 000 by winning both the Monster Energy ‘Wave of the Week’ video award and the Zigzag Expression Session to cap one of the best weeks of his career.

“It’s just been an awesome week, one of the best weeks in a long time, maybe in my life,” said de Vries. “It’s just a crazy transition of emotions and the beach support was amazing. I feel like my best work is done when I’m having fun and I wanted to take a break from professional surfing and focusing on being a surfer again. And now this happens.”

Highlights from the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong can be found at www.worldsurfleague.com

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Final Results
1. Connor O’Leary (AUS) 17.30
2. Joan Duru (FRA) 15.80

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Semi-Final Results
Semi1. Joan Duru (FRA) 19.20 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 17.63
Semi2. Connor O’Leary (AUS) 16.74 def. Ezekiel Lau (AUS) 14.60

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Quarter-Final Results
Quarter1. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.24 def. Krystian Kymerson (BRA) 13.17
Quarter2. Joan Duru (FRA) 18.67 def. Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) 16.34
Quarter3. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 15.83 def. Jack Freestone (AUS) 15.57
Quarter4. Connor O’Leary (AUS) 15.50 def. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 14.56

WSL Qualifying Series Rankings (After Ballito Pro)
1 Fioravanti,Leonardo ITA 17530
2 O’Leary,Connor AUS 14700
3 Duru,Joan FRA 13040
4 Silva,Deivid BRA 11530
5 Lau,Ezekiel HAW 10120

South Africans (Top 100)
12 De Vries,Beyrick ZAF 7130
48 Smith,Jordy ZAF 3700
53 February,Michael ZAF 3610
57 McGillivray,Matthew ZAF 3395
96 Lightfoot,Dylan ZAF 2345

An overnight storm producing windswept 2m – 2.5m waves tested the ability of last 16 surfers in the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong at Willard Beach on Saturday and set up a quartet of classic quarter-final clashes to start the final day on Sunday.

Experience and youthful enthusiasm triumphed in equal measure as the first QS10,000 rated event of the year reached the business end, pitting battle hardened campaigners against rising stars with coveted ranking points and a US $40,000 (about R600,000) winner’s paycheque at stake.

Jeremy Flores (FRA), in his 10th season among the elite top 34 surfers Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tout (CT) took on Brazilian standout Michael Rodrigues in the first heat of the day with jetskis being used to ferry the surfers out to the lineup after every ride. Flores, who has won events at the iconic surf breaks of Pipeline in Hawaii and Teahupo’o in Tahiti, trailed Rodrigues before posting rides of 8.67 and 7.90 to snatch a deserved but narrow victory in the 35 minute encounter.

“It’s always tricky to be in the first heat because you never know what to expect, based on the conditions and the scale that the judges are using,’ said Flores. “We finally got some real waves and I was just happy to throw bigger lines and fortunately I got through because Michael Rodrigues is a really good surfer.”

Flores will face off with another high-flying Brazilian in the quarters after Krystian Kymerson racked up a heat tally of 14.50 to leave compatriot Deivid Silva in combination situation and needing to replace both his scores in their duel.

The highly anticipated clash between South Africans Jordy Smith, the event top seed and world No. 10, and hometown hero Beyrick de Vries, lived up to expectations with a high-scoring display of power surfing that had the packed gallery hooting.

Smith struck the opening blow with a mid-range score, but de Vries answered with an outstanding ride on one of the biggest waves of the day, earning the highest single ride score of the event, a near-perfect 9.67 out of 10. Not to be outdone, Smith swooped into a set wave, carved off the top and then pulled into, and emerged from, a deep tube ride and finished with critical re-entry to post a 9.63, the third highest score of the event.

Displaying steely nerves and great wave selection, de Vries added another excellent range score of 8.0 on his next ride, leaving South Africa’s only CT campaigner needing an 8.11 to advance. And Smith came really close with his next ride, but only received 7.60 from the judges and de Vries saw out the rest of the heat and moved into the last eight.

“It was just really fun and this board that I’ve got from Hurricane ended up doing really well,” said de Vries. “I saw Jordy’s wave and saw it barrelling and I thought he had me, but I’m stoked he didn’t . And then after my second one he needed an 8.1 and he can do that easily. I held priority for the last 5 minutes so I surfed the heat I wanted to surf and got the scores I wanted to get.”

In the quarters De Vries will be up against Joan Duru (FRA) who produced a superlative performance to oust exciting young Australian Cooper Chapman from the event. The consistent Frenchman counted a 9.67 and an 8.33 for a heat total of 18.0 out of 20, throwing away a pair of seven point rides to move into the quarters.

The bottom half of the draw saw Ezekiel Lau, the lone Hawaiian left in the event, emerge victorious in a tightly contested heat over Stu Kennedy (AUS) to set up a last eight match-up against CT rookie Jack Freestone (AUS) who defeated Bino Lopes (BRA).

“I’m really happy because this will it’ll be my best finish so far this year,” said Lau. “I’m definitely excited for the next round, and I’ll have to be a little more sharp coming up against someone more experienced so I have make sure that I don’t make mistakes and stick to the game plan.”

The last quarter-final will feature Australians Connor O’Leary, who eliminated last year’s Ballito Pro runner-up Davey Cathels (AUS), and exciting rising star Ethan Ewing whose 9.07 point score was the difference between advancing and going home when he took on current QS rankings leader Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA).

The Italian prodigy will retain his ranking lead no matter who wins the Ballito Pro and will be going on to ride some waves in Jeffreys Bay after the event.

Organisers will meet will meet at 7am local time on Sunday to decide on what time to get the final series of heats underway

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Round of 16 Results
Heat1. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 16.57 def. Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 15.76
Heat2. Krystian Kymerson (BRA) 14.50 def. Deivid Silva (BRA) 7.94
Heat3. Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) 17.73 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.23
Heat4. Joan Duru (FRA) 18.00 def. Cooper Chapman (AUS) 16.94
Heat5. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 12.57 def. Stu Kennedy (AUS) 12.27
Heat6. Jack Freestone (AUS) 18.23 def. Bino Lopez (BRA) 10.13
Heat7. Connor O’Leary (AUS) 12.40 def. Davey Cathels (AUS) 12.33
Heat8. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 14.77 def. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 13.40

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Upcoming Quarter Final Heats
Quarter1. Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Krystian Kymerson (BRA)
Quarter2. Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) vs. Joan Duru (FRA)
Quarter3. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) vs. Jack Freestone (AUS)
Quarter4. Connor O’Leary (AUS) vs. Ethan Ewing (AUS)

The inaugural Fire Up Your Stoke evening by the Ballito Pro, presented by Billabong, on Wednesday 29 June was a massive success with huge crowds enjoying the cook-off contests, whiskey and wine tasting as well as fashion shows and a film premiere.

The fabulous food and fun event forms part of the 12-day festival, running from 22 June to 3 July. This popular holiday entertainment takes place annually in KwaDukuza and is centred around the famous international surfing contest.

“We couldn’t have asked for anything better,” said event organiser, Collette Bundy. “Everything went so well with the participating chefs really showing off their talent on the evening while visitors enjoyed all the activities and entertainment on offer.”

There were a number of cook-off contests suited to all ages starting with the Mini Cooks (ages 3 to 6), the Fine Young Cooks (ages 7 to 13), the Ultimate Grill-off Ballito Style and the Battle of Ballito Burger involving local restaurants.

Adding some spice to the evening were the judges; MasterChef South Africa winner, Roxi Wardman and Ultimate Braai Master competitors, Eldry Liebrandt and Louis Pillay, of Team Shisa Mfethu. The trio were impressed with the high calibre of contestants and took time to deliberate about the final winners.

In the Fine Young Cooks category, chefs had to pair up and prepare scrumptious sosaties using their own secret recipe with a side dish, cooked on a Weber gas braai. There were nine teams competing for the top spot but it was M & A Cooks, Minénhle Nzama (13) and Alwande Ncube (13), who blew the judges away with their special sauce. In second place was Grill Masters, Matthew Wocke (12) and Keenan Tocher (12) and in third was Nacho Mammas, Kai Muller (11) and Gerhard Ehlert (11).

The next category was the Ultimate Grill-off Ballito Style where teams of two had to create a main course with either a starter or a dessert on a Weber gas braai, while dressing the part. The event saw seven brave teams preparing the delicious dinners but it was Salty’s Dolphins – Patrick Zenzile and Rich Sibiya – who took the crown. They were followed by Team Zombie (George and Emma Morey) with Minnie Munchers (Gemma Limbect and Tusca Elmes) in third place.

Local restaurants had to win over the appetites of visitors by preparing a signature burger and sides for the Battle of the Ballito Burger title. Although it was a close call, East Oasis, won over the crowd, beating the other four competitors for the 2016 title.

In addition, the audience was treated to a special Celebrity Cook-off which saw renowned Billabong surfer, Emma Smith, of Jeffrey’s Bay going head-to-head with World Surf League’s IT Manager, Mano Ziul from Rio, Brazil. Smith and Ziul were given 20 minutes each to create a dish containing the ingredients from their mystery baskets. This included fillet steak, prawns, chilli, garlic, lemon, coconut milk, spinach, baby corn, peppers and broccoli. Two judges were selected from the audience with both naming Smith the overall winner.

Besides the festive feasts, visitors enjoyed some live music, dancing and fashion entertainment including the prestigious Upcycle Designer Fashion Show. Here, young designers were given the platform to showcase their talents by creating garments using recycled materials.

The junior category saw children designing their own garments which were modelled on stage in the Trash to Fashion Show. This was won by the talented Alzanne Barnard, followed closely by Chandre Swanepoel in second place and Jasmine Stoffberg in third.

The professionals’ section required that young designers created a garment for an allocated model from Simply Models. These garments were judged by four professionals in the fashion industry, namely; Ashley StaRin Eddy (Mr KZN), Tracey-Anne Buckley (Mrs KZN), Levinia Lea Naidoo (Mrs SA Finalist 2016) and Genevieve Tomkinson Daw (Winner of Designer Competition 2014). The winning design was from Josey by Josey Rage, modelled by Megan van der Mescht. In second place was Kat Shoesmith, modelled by Nathalie Hullett, and in third was HUGE label (Simphiwe Samson Dludla) modelled by Tanyka Tyas.

“We had about 1 500 attend the Fire Up Your Stoke evening and Ballito really showed off with some spectacular winter weather,” said Bundy. “Matt Bromley and Guy Mac’s film, ‘Risky Business’, which premiered on the night, was also really well received.”

Bundy extended her thanks to the evening’s sponsors; Lifestyle Centre and Lifestyle SuperSpar, Chilloes, Weber and Hirschs.

Cook-off Results:

Fine Young Cooks Teams
1. M & M SISTERS – 9 & 7 (ages)
2. SWEETIE SISTERS – 11 & 7
3. NACHO MAMMA – 11 & 11
4. PEBAB LONGSTOCKING – 9 & 9
5. THING 1 & THING 2 – 11 & 11
6. SALT & PEPPER – 11 & 8
7. THE GRILL MASTERS – 12 & 12
8. M & A COOKS – 13 & 13
9. DANCING CHEFS – 7 & 8

Winners
1ST M & A COOKS – MINENHLE & ALWANDE NCUBE
2nd GRILL MASTERS – MATTHEW WOCKE & KEENAN TOCHER
3RD NACHO MAMMAS – KAI MULLER AND GERHARD EHLERT
4TH DANCING CHEFS – KAYLEIGH AND KEIRA FLETCHER

The Ultimate Grill-off Ballito Style Teams
1. YUMMY MUMMIES – KAREN & LEIGH
2. MINNIE MUNCHERS – GEMMA & TUSCA
3. BRICKS – ANGUS & NICK
4. SALTYS DOLPHINS – PATRICK & RICH
5. TEAM ZOMBIE – GEORGE & EMMA
6. SWEETARTS – ABIGAIL & KAI
7. FUNKY GRASSHOPPERS – CHAD & WILLIAM

Winners
1STSALTYS DOLPHINS – PATRICK ZENZILE & RICH SIBIYA
2ND TEAM ZOMBIE – GEORGE & EMMA MOREY (father and daughter)
3RD MINNIE MUNCHERS – GEMMA & TUSCA
4TH SWEETARTS – ABIGAIL VAN DER LINDE & KAI COATES

The Battle of Ballito Burger Entrants
1. EAST OASIS
2. CAFFE LUSSO
3. MOZAMBIK BALLITO
4. GRANDSTAND
5. MOZAMBIK GATEWAY

Winner:
EAST OASIS

The 112 man field in the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong was whittled down to the last 16 in fickle one metre waves and warm sunshine that drew a huge crowd to Willard Beach in KwaDukuza to watch the world’s best surfers in action on Friday.

The first of just five QS10,000 rated events in 2016, The Ballito Pro offers the maximum rankings points to those competing on the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) and the results will play a decisive role in the make-up of the top 10 QS surfers who will qualify for the elite 2017 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour (CT).

After completing the last two heats in the Round of 48, the three man heats in the Round of 24 started with experienced CT campaigner Jeremy Flores (FRA) claiming the victory and advancing to the man-on-man heats in the Round of 16, along with heat runner-up Deivid Silva (BRA)..

“I made it, it wasn’t pretty, but I made it,” said Flores. “All of these Brazilian guys and just everyone on the QS are so used to these kind of waves, it’s hard to beat them. I need the points as I’ve been getting pretty bad results on the CT this year. So I’ve got to make as many heats as I can in any events that I’m in. Right now I’m kind of in survivor mode, but I’d like to open up in the next few heats.”

Flores will be up against another QS standout in Michael Rodrigues in the next round. The high-flying Brazilian whose aerial manoeuvres have earned him the second highest single ride score and the second highest heat total of the event to date, finished runner-up to compatriot Deivid Silva in an all Brazilian match-up.

The partisan local crowd were in raptures when Beyrick de Vries from nearby uMhlanga won his heat ahead of Joan Duru (FRA) as the pair eliminated dangerman Ryan Callinan (AUS). And when top seed Jordy Smith finished second to Cooper Chapman (AUS) in the next heat, it set up an all South African last 16 clash between de Vries and Smith, with the winner progressing to the quarter-finals.

The bottom half of the draw was dominated by Australians with Stu Kennedy, CT rookie Jack Freestone, last year’s Ballito Pro runner-up Davey Cathels and rising star Ethan Ewing all winning their heats.

That quartet will face off with Ezekiel Lau (HAW), Bino Lopes (BRA), Connor O’Leary (AUS) and Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) respectively.

Fioravanti, who broke his back at Pipeline in Hawaii in January last year, currently leads the QS rankings and has a victory over 11 time world champion Kelly Slater (USA) on his CV. The Italian prodigy has had a low profile run through the event so far, not winning any of his three heats, but he will need to beat Ewing to if he is to stay in contention for the Ballito title.

Organisers will meet will meet at 7.30am local time on Saturday. With strong winds and large waves expected, they will make the decision on when to get the event started.

Highlights from today’s action will be found at www.worldsurfleague.com

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Upcoming Round of 16 Heats
Heat1. Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Michael Rodrigues (BRA)
Heat2. Krystian Kymerson (BRA) vs. Deivid Silva (BRA)
Heat3. Beyrick de Vries (ZAF, uMhlanga) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF, Durban)
Heat4. Cooper Chapman (AUS) vs. Joan Duru (FRA)
Heat5. Stu Kennedy (AUS) vs. Ezekiel Lau (HAW)
Heat6. Jack Freestone (AUS) vs. Bino Lopes (BRA)
Heat7. Davey Cathels (AUS) vs. Connor O’Leary (AUS)
Heat8. Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Round of 24 Results
Heat1. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 11.63, Deivid Silva (BRA) 9.90, Messias Felix (BRA) 9.87
Heat2. Krystian Kymerson (BRA) 15.00, Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 13.43, David do Carmo (BRA) 7.94
Heat3. Beyrick de Vries (ZAF) 14.03, Joan Duru (FRA) 12.07, Ryan Callinan (AUS) 11.30
Heat4. Cooper Chapman (AUS) 14.66, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 11.70, Kai Hing (AUS) 10.74
Heat5. Stu Kennedy (AUS) 13.36, Bino Lopez (BRA) 12.43, Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 11.40
Heat6. Jack Freestone (AUS) 17.16, Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 15.00, Nathan Hedge (AUS) 10.40
Heat7. Davey Cathels (AUS) 14.00, Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 13.93, Dusty Payne (HAW) 11.97
Heat8. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 13.96, Connor O’Leary (AUS) 13.40, Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 10.23

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Round of 48 Results
Heat11.Dusty Payne (HAW) 14.33, Connor O’Leary (AUS) 13.96, Matt Banting (AUS) 11.50, Mateia Hiquily (PYF) 10.14
Heat12. Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 11.53, Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 11.50, Frederico Morais (PRT) 11.00, Luel Felipe (BRA) 9.54

A rising swell that produced solid overhead waves, allied with variable winds, tested the ability of the top contenders in the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong as they progressed to the last 24 at Willard Beach on Thursday.

Pristine early morning offshore conditions enabled the world’s best pulling into the deep tubes that the KwaDukuza region is famous for and, as the onshore wind freshened, they used that to stick huge aerial manoeuvres when they boosted above the lip of the waves.

The remaining eight heats of the Round of 96 saw the likes of Jack Freestone and fellow Australians Davey Cathels and Connor O’Leary, South Africa’s Matthew McGillivray (Jeffreys Bay) and Brazilian Luel Felipe rack up high scoring heat wins.

O’Leary was particularly impressive, posting rides of 9.47 and 9.0 for a heat total of 18.47, the highest of the day, and leaving all three of his opponents in a combination situation where they needed to improve on both their scores for the heat victory.

The Round of 48 brought additional pressure as the level of competition increased. The first three heats were dominated by Brazilians with Deivid Silva, Michael Rodrigues and Krystian Kymerson all using their air game to good effect.

South Africa’s Beyrick de Vries, who has grown up in the region, used his local knowledge to take flight. Landing a huge alley-oop and then an air-reverse that the judges rewarded with scores of 8.17 and 6.67, de Vries cruised into the last 24.

“It was a slow start for me but I found a good air section and I went for broke and got an 8.17. That put the Q20 on the wheels and it started flowing from there,” said de Vries. “I just focus on the now and try to get the waves and adapt to the different conditions. I’m pleased with what I’ve done now, but I just can’t wait to get out there tomorrow.”

After a really close heat where Ryan Callinan squeaked to victory after all four surfers were within 1.5 points of each other at the final siren, top seed Jordy Smith took to the surf and showed his class. The current WSL No. 10 ranked surfer toyed with the conditions, landing aerials and carving powerful turns on his way to the heat win

“I’m stoked that myself and Beyrick made it through, so that’s pretty cool for South Africa, hopefully we can keep it going,” said Smith. “The conditions are really tricky and you’ve got to take every heat as it comes. You go out there with an open mind and can’t sit for too long and wait for good waves as there’s a lot of opportunity.”

Hawaiian Ezekiel Lau was pleased to advance by scoring a massive 9.10 on his final wave after a slow start.

“I’m pretty stoked. Coming a long way from Hawaii, you just want to make as many heats as you can,” said Lau. “You have to select the right waves and I started off a little slow but I found my rhythm through the heat. It’s just me and mother nature and I just try to focus on my game plan and what the waves are doing.”

Jack Freestone (AUS) was another who posted a last minute, heat winning ride, jumping from third to first place in his encounter thanks to an impressive aerial that he landed in the flat water, but managed to ride out successfully.

“It was little bit nerve-wrecking. Everyone had really good scores up until the last five minutes and I didn’t have anything. I basically surfed a five minute heat,” said Freestone. “It’s always good to get through those first two rounds. So I’m really excited to get through that one and to be in the round of 24. I just want to keep the momentum flowing.”

Organisers will meet will meet at 7am local time on Friday and hope to make a call for a start at 7.15. When competition resumes, the first heat in the water will see Matt Banting (AUS), Connor O’Leary (AUS), Dusty Payne (HAW) and Mateia Hiquily face off in Heat 11 of the Round of 48.

Highlights from today’s action will be found at www.worldsurfleague.com

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Round 3 Results
Heat1. Deivid Silva (BRA) 15.37, David do Carmo (BRA) 14.50, Charles Martin (GLP) 7.67, Jesse Mendes (BRA) 7.57
Heat2. Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 14.44, Messias Felix (BRA) 11.57, Ian Crane (USA) 11.53, Tim Reyes (USA) 8.30
Heat3. Krystian Kymerson (BRA) 17.77, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.73, Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) 12.30, Soli Bailey (AUS) 4.66
Heat4. Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) 14.84, Kai Hing (AUS) 12.40, Michael Dunphy (USA) 12.00, Dion Atkinson (AUS) 10.90
Heat5. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 15.46, Cooper Chapman (AUS) 15.36, Thomas Woods (AUS) 14.73, Billy Stairmand (NZL) 13.17
Heat6. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 11.97, Joan Duru (FRA) 10.94, Tomas Hermes (BRA) 10.17, Noah Schweizer (USA) 7.00
Heat7. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 13.46, Nathan Hedge (AUS) 11.60, Hizunome Bettero (BRA) 10.27, Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 8.97
Heat8. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 16.10, Bino Lopes (BRA) 13.60, Alex Ribeiro (BRA) 9.80, Joshua Moniz (HAW) 8.26
Heat9. Jack Freestone (AUS) 15.17, Stu Kennedy (AUS) 12.87, Yadin Nicol (AUS) 12.17, Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) 9.93
Heat10. Davey Cathels (AUS) 15.36, Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.30, Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 15.00, Ricardo Christie (NZL) 10.60

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Round 2 Results
Heat17. Jack Freestone (AUS) 12.34, Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 12.33, Marc Lacomare (FRA) 8.66, Rafael Teixeira (BRA) 6.20
Heat18. Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) 14.83, Ricardo Christie (NZL) 11.94, Evan Geiselman (USA) 9.23, Michael February (ZAF) 4.00
Heat19. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 14.67, Stu Kennedy (AUS) 13.76, Tanner Hendrickson (HAW) 11.57, Nomme Mignot (FRA) 10.30
Heat20. Davey Cathels (AUS) 16.77, Yadin Nicol (AUS) 10.87, Tomas Fernandes (PRT) 9.07, Noe Mar McGonagle (CRI) 8.40
Heat21. Matt Banting (AUS) 14.07, Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 13.97, Griffin Colapinto (USA) 12.70, Heitor Alves (BRA) 7.13
Heat22. Connor O’Leary (AUS) 18.47, Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 16.13, Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 9.83, Willian Cardoso (BRA) 8.84
Heat23. Luel Felipe (BRA) 16.33, Dusty Payne (HAW) 13.33, Granger Larsen (HAW) 12.30, Nathan Yeomans (USA) 8.50
Heat24. Frederico Morais(PRT) 11.93, Mateia Hiquily (PYF) 10.16, Marlon Lipke (PRT) 10.00, Jose Ferreira (PRT) 9.90

While the surfers ride the waves, the Ballito Pro Festival is set to turn up the heat in KwaDukuza by offering the best in beach, music and sports entertainment. Locals and holiday-makers will be spoilt for choice with the week-long festival featuring the ‘Fire up your stoke: Night of food & wine’, an extreme sports programme and an exciting retail area, while the Five Star Ballito Pro Free Music Concerts powered by 5FM bring some of South Africa’s most talented music acts to the stage in Salt Rock.

The world’s best surfers lit up the surf at Willard Beach in Ballito on Wednesday, posting huge scores as they took to the air at every opportunity on Day 3 of the R4 million Ballito Pro presented by Billabong, the first World Surf League (WSL) QS 10,000 rated event for 2016.

Greeted by a solid 1m to1.5m swell and light winds, which justified WSL Deputy Commissioner Travis Logie’s call to postpone the start of Round 2 until today, the competitors revelled in the conditions and several elite WSL Championship Tour (CT) members were ousted early in the event by hungry Qualifying Series (QS) contenders.

Second seed and world No. 8 Caio Ibelli (BRA) will be packing his bags after finishing third in his heat behind Spanish veteran Aritz Aranburu and Bino Lopes (BRA), and he will be joined in heading for the next event in Jeffreys Bay by fellow CT surfers Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Jadson Andre (BRA), Kanoa Igarashi (USA), Keanu Asing (HAW) and 2015 Ballito champion Alejo Muniz (BRA).

South Africa’s Jordy Smith produced an accomplished performance to comfortably win his opening encounter in the event he won in 2010, and advanced to the Round of 48 along with fellow top seeds Jeremy Flores (FRA), Ryan Callinan (AUS), Alex Ribeiro (BRA) and Patrick Gudauskas (USA).

“I managed to find a few good faces and got some turns going,” said Smith. “The first heat in an event is probably the most nerve-wrecking so I’m just happy to get that one out of the way. Hopefully through the week we’ll get some better conditions and the guys are going to be doing some great surfing.”

Beyrick de Vries from nearby uMhlanga joined Smith in Round 3 thanks to a strong performance where he emerged victorious in a stacked heat that included Igarashi, Brazilian standout Lucas Silveira and the 2015 US Open of Surfing Champion Hiroto Ohhara (JAP) who also advanced as the heat runner-up.

Joshua Moniz (HAW), who turned 20 on Monday and is currently ranked No. 14 on the QS, was one of the day’s standouts, finding a perfect ramp and performing a flawless high-flying air-reverse that earned him a near-perfect 9.60 out of 10 from the judges – the highest single ride score of the day,

“I was stoked that I got lucky with that one. I kinda had my eye out for air sections and when I saw that one I was thinking that if I could get a turn in, I could fly the air and hopefully land it,” said Moniz. “Where I live on the South Shore of Oahu it’s a pretty similar wave so I get excited to see the wind blowing into the rights. I just want to make some heats in the event and I hope to qualify this year, or any year in the future.”

After a 30 minute break in competition due to a power failure, organisers decided to move the competition area from Bathers’ Beach to the adjacent Surfers’ Beach. The change suited former Ballito event winner Patrick Gudauskas (USA) who got the nod in a tightly contested heat that saw all four surfers finish within 2.5 points of each other.

“I was stoked that they moved the event back to Surfers’ beach. It was fun to have a little change up,” said Gudauskas. “The heat started slow but then I started to catch rhythm. I love the waves here and I would be excited to make a few more heats. Winning in 2011 was the highlight of my career because I had such good waves and it would be fun to do something like that again.”

Veteran campaigner and former CT member Nathan Hedge (AUS), who was really happy to finish second in his heat and advance to the next round, highlighted some of the issues the top competitors have to contend with as they travel the globe chasing points to qualify for the elite CT ranks.

“It was an emotional rollercoaster sort of a day because we were off and then on again, and the venue changed from Bathers to Surfers,” said Hodge. “You wake up jet-lagged at 3am and I’ve just surfed at 4pm in the afternoon. But it’s always good to get through the first leg. These QS10,00’s are so heavily weighted and they’re where the real points are so everyone’s in with a shot, even up to Hawaii in December.”

Organisers will meet at 7am local time tomorrow (Thursday) and hope to make a call for a start at 7.15. When competition resumes, the first heat in the water will see CT rookie Jack Freestone (AUS) up against Ramzi Boukhiam (MOR), Marc Lacomare (FRA) and Rafael Texeira (BRA).

Highlights from today’s action will be found at www.worldsurfleague.com

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong Round 2 Results
Heat1. David do Carmo (BRA) 13.60, Messias Felix (BRA) 12.13, Victor Bernardo (BRA) 11.73, Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 10.07
Heat2. Jesse Mendes (BRA) 15.23, Tim Reyes (USA) 12.23, Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 12.17, Johnathan Gonzalez (CNY) 9.67
Heat3. Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 17.90, Deivid Silva (BRA) 13.10, Derek Peters (USA) 12.23, Jack Robinson (AUS) 9.47
Heat4. Ian Crane (USA) 14.83, Charles Martin (GLP) 13.16, Jadson Andre (BRA) 13.00, Santiago Muniz (ARG) 11.83
Heat5. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.53, Michael Dunphy (USA) 11.86, Pedro Henrique (PRT) 11.43, Nic Von Rupp (PRT) 9.74
Heat6. Soli Bailey (AUS) 13.23, Kai Hing (AUS) 12.40, Wade Carmichael (AUS) 8.97, Marco Giorgi (URY) 6.77
Heat7. Dion Atkinson (AUS) 15.77, Krystian Kymerson (BRA) 15.53, Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 11.40, Timothee Bisso (GLP) 11.37
Heat8. Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) 15.20, Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) 14.17, Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 13.47, Lucas Silveira (BRA) 10.74
Heat9. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 17.34, Tomas Hermes (BRA) 14.40, Leandro Usuna (ARG) 14.10, Tom Whitaker (AUS) 3.50
Heat10. Billy Stairmand (NZL) 13.96, Noah Schweizer (USA) 12.07, Keanu Asing (HAW) 11.86, Marco Fernandez (BRA) 11.24
Heat11. Joan Duru (FRA) 15.26, Cooper Chapman (AUS) 14.10, Thiago Camarao (BRA) 11.13, Ian Gouveia (BRA) 10.33
Heat12. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.77, Thomas Woods (AUS) 12.83, Mitch Crews (AUS) 10.80, Robson Santos (BRA) 9.13
Heat13. Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 12.90, Bino Lopez (BRA) 12.43, Caio Ibelli (BRA) 12.17, Seth Moniz (HAW) 10.86
Heat14. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 14.40, Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 13.33, Miguel Tudela (PER) 12.30, Medi Veminardi (REU) 11.84
Heat15. Alex Ribeiro (BRA) 12.07, Nathan Hedge (AUS) 11.57, Mihimana Braye (PYF) 10.53, Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 10.47
Heat16. Joshua Moniz (HAW) 15.43, Hizunome Bettero (BRA) 14.00, Cory Arrambide (USA) 13.13, Alejo Muniz (BRA) 11.53

While the surfers ride the waves, the Ballito Pro Festival is set to turn up the heat in KwaDukuza by offering the best in beach, music and sports entertainment. Locals and holiday-makers will be spoilt for choice with the week-long festival featuring the ‘Fire up your stoke: Night of food & wine’, an extreme sports programme and an exciting retail area, while the Five Star Ballito Pro Free Music Concerts powered by 5FM bring some of South Africa’s most talented music acts to the stage in Salt Rock.

Australian Skye Burgess today won the Ballito Women’s Pro presented by Billabong at Willard Beach in KwaDukuza, collecting her first World Surf League (WSL) event title in her first appearance in a Qualifying Series (QS) final.

Competing in tricky one metre, wind affected waves, Burgess was in control throughout the 30 minute final encounter and went on to comfortably outpoint close friend and travelling partner Sarah Baum.

“I was so excited just to make the final and I was in a really good mood,” said Burgess. “I thought Sarah would have had me for sure. We surf together all the time and I know she absolutely rips so I love just watching her surf. I just super excited, we just had fun.”

Selecting the waves that enabled her to utilize her full repertoire of manoeuvres to impress the judges, the winner posted scores of 7.17 and 6.33 in the opening half of the heat and went on to improve her total with a 6.57 to complete a 13.74 vs. 8.0 point victory.

Burgess earned R8 000 and 1,000 points which saw her jump 104 spots up the WSL Women’s QS rankings to No. 97.

Baum, who hails from Athlone Park in Durban but now lives with Burgess in Wollongong, was the form surfer throughout the event, winning every heat she contested up to the final.

“It was really tough out there, I guess whoever got the waves got the scores,’ said Baum. “I was a little too behind on most of them, but I’m super stoked for Skye. She and I travel together and I just came home for a holiday to see my family. We are making a movie while we’re here so an extra few points and money is always good.”

Former WSL Championship Tour (CT) surfer Nikita Robb of East London, the defending Ballito Women’s Pro champion, finished equal third this year after she lost to Baum in their semi-final match-up.

“What can you do? It was still a fight, which is always good, but Sarah is such an amazing surfer. When you free surf with her you get so inspired,” said Robb. “It’s been awesome having the girls down here and really pushing the level of women’s surfing. I’m upset, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. But, I knew it was going to be a hard heat. I didn’t catch the best waves and that’s where I fell short.”

Local spectators were right behind uMhlanga’s Teal Hogg (18) who advanced to the semi-finals before being eliminated by Burgess.
“I was definitely aiming for a first overall but in that heat I started really slow and Skye got some really good waves,” said Hogg. “She’s been surfing well the whole event and she deserved to go through. I guess I’ve just got to push harder next time, but I’m stoked with my result..”

Faye Zoetmulder (Port Elizabeth) moved to the top of the WSL Africa Women’s ranking after finishing equal fifth in the Ballito Women’s Pro. Robb jumped one spot to No. 2, ahead of Tanika Hoffman (Hout Bay) with Hogg moving up three places to No. 4.

The QS10,000 rated Ballito Pro presented by Billabong was called off for the day and a officials will meet tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 7am local time to make a decision on when competition will resume.

Ballito Women’s Pro presented by Billabong Final Results
1. Skye Burgess (AUS) 13.74
2. Sarah Baum (ZAF) 8.00

Ballito Women’s Pro presented by Billabong Semi-Final Results
Semi 1. Sarah Baum (ZAF) 13.67, Nikita Robb (ZAF) 10.34
Semi 2. Skye Burgess (AUS) 11.34, Teal Hogg (ZAF) 7.03

WSL Africa Women’s Rankings (after Ballito Women’s Pro)
1. Faye Zoetmulder 1,170pts
2. Nikita Robb 1,120 pts
3. Tanika Hoffman (Hout Bay) 1,000 pts
4. Teal Hogg (uMhlanga) 955 pts
5. Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie) 860 pts

While the surfers ride the waves, the Ballito Pro Festival is set to turn up the heat in KwaDukuza by offering the best in beach, music and sports entertainment. Locals and holiday-makers will be spoilt for choice with the week-long festival featuring the ‘Fire up your stoke: Night of food & wine’, an extreme sports programme and an exciting retail area, while the Five Star Ballito Pro Free Music Concerts powered by 5FM bring some of South Africa’s most talented music acts to the stage in Salt Rock.