Author: AdminBallitoPro

KwaDukuza’s relaxed coastal vibe and year-round warm climate are best enjoyed sitting by the seaside while listening to some fantastic music. This is why visitors to the region’s leading holiday spot are encouraged to get to Salt Rock Main Beach from 30 June to 2 July for the Five Star Ballito Pro Free Music Concerts Powered by 5FM featuring some of South Africa’s best DJs and bands.

The evening concerts form part of the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong which is taking place at Willard Beach from 22 June to 3 July. The annual sporting and entertainment festival, centred around the hotly-contested international surfing competition, offers an impressive programme consisting of beach and extreme sports, quality cook-offs and a film premiere.

“For three nights, visitors to the KwaDukuza area will have the unique opportunity of seeing 17 of South Africa’s top DJs and bands, completely free of charge,” said event co-ordinator, Collette Bundy. “All the musical action will be taking place at the Salt Rock beach stage, a stunning venue overlooking the Indian Ocean. This is really a not-to-be-missed opportunity!”

The concerts will showcase a diverse mix of South Africa’s musicians, branching across genres from urban and dance to hip hop and alternative rock. The line-up includes big names such as DJ Milkshake, Desmond and the Tutus, The Kiffness, Forbes & Fix and Roger Goode, among many others.

One of the leading artists performing on the first night is renowned South African rapper, Senzo Mfundo Vilakazi aka Kwesta. Originally from the Gauteng’s East Rand, this ground-breaking young artist is making a name for himself nationally and internationally with his unique sound. His debut album, Special ReKwest was an instant success with ‘Pump It’ securing him a DSTV synch-deal and ‘Flava’ used in a 2011 Loerie Awards’ television advertising campaign. Four albums later, Kwesta has received a number of accolades with one of his songs featuring in Hollywood film, Death Race 3: Inferno, and he has since gone on to establish his own record label, Urbantainment.

The second night will see award-winning band, Shortstraw, taking to the stage in the final slot. Their catchy, narrative songs and intricate instrumental work has seen them go from an underground band featuring on late-night student radio stations to opening for international bands including the Kooks, Last Dinosaurs and the Dune Rats. The group walked away with the Best Album award for Good Morning Sunshine and Best Video for Waterworks at the 2014 MK Awards. Their most recent album, Youthless, debuted at number one on the South African iTunes store.

Concert-goers on the third night will get to experience one of the titans of Electronic Dance Music worldwide, Das Kapital. This multi-talented DJ has his own record label, Do Work Records; two national radio shows (including in Das We Trust on 5FM); performs as an artist, DJ, music producer and remixer. This technically-skilled party-starter is sure to keep the crowd entranced throughout his set.

The concerts will start at 4pm each afternoon, continuing until late in the evening, and there will be food and drink on sale. People are welcome to bring picnic blankets and chairs, although the lively music is sure to get the crowd on its feet.

The Billabong Junior Series launches a 12-day festival of world class surfing when it gets underway at Willard Beach in Ballito next week with the country’s best surfers aged 18-and-under going all out to earn coveted titles along with prize-money and rankings points.

 The world’s longest running junior surfing series, now in its 18^th year, has nurtured the competitive careers of countless local surfers including current World No. 10 Jordy Smith, WSL Women’s No. 7 Bianca Buitendag and former WSL Championship Tour campaigners Travis Logie, Royden Bryson, Ricky Basnett, Rosy Hodge and Nikita Robb.

 Scheduled for Wednesday to Saturday, 22-25 June, the Billabong Junior Series features World Surf League (WSL) Junior Qualifying Series (JQS) 1,000 rated events for U18 boys and girls, as well as 3A rated Surfing South Africa (SSA) Pro Surf Tour (PST) events for U16 and U14 boys and girls as well as U12 boys.

 Jordy Maree (Kalk Bay) heads a strong 24-man field of entries for the U18 boy’s event where the points earned count towards the 2016 Billabong Junior Series and WSL Africa Junior titles as well as selection for the squad who will attend the WSL World Junior Championships at the end of the year.

Maree faces tough opposition in Kommetjie based brothers, Jake and Max Elkington, Adin Masencamp (Strand), Salt Rock local Shane Sykes, Calvin Goor (Durban) and Jeffreys Bay’s Joshe Faulkner and Sebastian Williams.

Locals Sophie Bell (Salt Rock) and Teal Hogg (Umhlanga) will be using their experience in the Willard Beach waves to stave off the challenges of Chrystal Hulett (St Francis Bay), Kai Woolf (Jeffreys Bay) and Taghiti Gericke (Southern Cape) for the U18 girls’ title.

Dillon Hendricks (Muizenberg) and Sophie Bell (Salt Rock) head the PST rankings for the U16 boys and girls respectively, while Kommetjie’s Travis Pearce and Summer Sutton head the U14 standings and Christian Venter is top seed for the U12 boys.

The top two finishers in the U18 boys’ event will be awarded prestigious wildcards into the SSA Ballito Pro Trials presented by Billabong on Sunday 26 June at the same venue. The all-South African 32-man trials event will determine the last remaining spot in the R4 million, QS10,000 rated Ballito Pro presented by Billabong.

The first round of the R20 000, QS1,000 rated Ballito Women’s Pro presented by Billabong will also be run on the Sunday, and this event will continue alongside the men’s event from Monday to Sunday, June 27 to 3 July.

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 Billabong Junior Series Ballito is proudly supported by BOS, Neff, Skullcandy, VonZipper, Zigzag Surfing Magazine, KwaDukuza Municipality, World Surf League (WSL) and Surfing South Africa (SSA).

 

The Ballito Pro presented by Billabong always brings a festive vibe to the relaxed coastal scene and this year, visitors can expect even more with the introduction of the Fire Up Your Stoke cuisine, fashion and entertainment evening on Wednesday, 29 June.

Fire Up Your Stoke forms part of the twelve-day festival which offers daily activities for visitors to embrace the outdoor coastal lifestyle on offer. The festival runs alongside the main feature which is the ongoing surfing action with top international surfers battling it out for the number one spot.

The Fire Up Your Stoke programme is packed with a number of delectable cook-off competitions – for chefs as young as three years old – all assessed by well-known judges from MasterChef and Ulitmate Braai Master. There will also be onstage entertainment, wine, whiskey and craft beer tastings and an exclusive showing of an international surf film.

“In addition to the incredible line-up of events we have planned from 22 June to 3 July, the Fire Up Your Stoke evening is sure to be a hit with all ages looking for a relaxed evening,” said event co-ordinator, Collette Bundy. “There are so many budding chefs out there looking for an opportunity to make their mark and this will provide them with the perfect, no-stress platform. There will also be a range of food on offer for those looking for a great dining experience as well as live music, dancing and fashion entertainment. There will really be something for every taste at Fire Up Your Stoke.”

To heat things up, three of South Africa’s renowned chefs will be in attendance to judge the various categories. MasterChef South Africa winner, Roxi Wardman, will be joined by Ultimate Braai Master competitors, Eldry Liebrandt and Louis Pillay, of Team Shisa Mfethu. The trio brings with them a wealth of culinary knowledge with Roxi currently running the popular Spoonful Eatery in trendy Helen Joseph Road, Glenwood, while ‘the hot brothers’ are currently embroiled in the fourth season of South Africa’s toughest outdoor cooking competition.

A dedicated cooking area will be set aside for the evening’s youngest participants, the Mini Cooks. Here, children aged three to six, will create their own sweet treats, giving support to the belief that dessert before a main course is really the preferred option.

While the Mini Cooks are kept busy, the Fine Young Cooks will start with their preparations. Open to all would-be chefs aged seven to 13, the event will see 10 paired teams compete in a sosatie-making competition with each team having to create their own secret sosatie and side dish, cooked on a Weber gas braai. The final creation will then be presented to the judges who will crown the Fine Young Cooks’ Team 2016. Each team is required to bring their own ingredients and assemble and cook everything at the venue.

The Ultimate Grill-off Ballito Style will pit teams of two against each other with each team expected to create a signature dish on Weber gas braais for the title of Ballito Grill Champs 2016. Dads and lads, moms and daughters, friends and couples will team up, select a team name and dress accordingly for the event where they will create and present a starter and main course or main course and dessert for the judges.

Throughout the evening, the hotly-contested Battle of the Ballito Burger will see local restaurants looking to win over patrons’ appetites and votes with their signature burger and sides. The public are encouraged to visit each stall and assess the cuisine before casting the deciding votes.

And to add a bit of spice to the evening, there will be a special cook-off between Billabong team rider and Big Wave surfer, Matt Bromley, and former World Champion surfer, Martin ‘Pottz’ Potter.

Visitors will also be privy to two exclusive premiere screenings of Matt Bromley’s new surf movie ‘Risky Business’. The film, shot by New Zealand filmmaker Guy Mac, focuses on Bromley chasing down the wildest and most beautiful waves in some of the world’s top surfing spots. It uniquely encompasses the four different spheres around the globe, depicting everything from the sub-zero climates of Iceland and Ireland to the Indonesian tropics and warm waters of Hawaii, as well as South Africa’s enticing coastline. This will be the first global screening of the movie with viewings at 5.50pm and again at 8.55pm.

For the young designers looking to showcase their talents, there will be an exciting competition whereby competitors have to create garments using recycled materials. Consisting of two categories, the juniors’ section will see children designing their own garments to be modelled onstage while the professionals’ section will have young designers creating a garment for an allocated model. These garments will be 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). There will be amazing prizes up for grabs including a cash prize, vouchers from Brand Habit, photoshoots and lots more. Simply Models will also be showcasing some stunning items from Brand Habit throughout the fashion show.

All the action will take place at the main festival area at KwaDukuza’s Willard Beach on Wednesday 29 June starting at 5pm. Be sure not to miss out on any of the evening’s non-stop entertainment!

Fire Up Your Stoke programme:
5pm to 5.45pm: Fine Young Cooks Comp
5.50pm to 6.30pm: First showing of Matt Bromley’s Risky Business
6.35pm to 6.50pm: Simply Models Fashion Show
6.55pm to 7.50pm: Ultimate grill-off Ballito style – Battle of the Ballito Burger
7.55pm to 8.10pm: Up Cycle Fashion Designers’ Competition 8.35pm to 8.50pm: Winners’ announcements
8.55pm to 9.35pm: Second showing of Matt Bromley’s Risky Business

*Times may be subject to change. Please visit www.theballitopro.com to view the updated schedule.

There is an extreme line-up of sports, entertainment and recreational events at this year’s Ballito Pro, presented by Billabong, happening at Willard Beach from 22 June to 3 July.

In addition to the main feature – top level surfing action by the sporting elite – there will be a number of daily activities which will give festival-goers the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the area’s spectacular outdoor lifestyle in one of the warmest winter locations.

“This is the eighth year KwaDukuza will play host to this fantastic international festival which is indicative of the area’s strong holidaymaker appeal,” said Collette Bundy, event co-ordinator. “Once again we have a range of events and activities catering to all ages and tastes, including the return of the internationally renowned extreme motorcyclists, the le Riche brothers.”

Bruce and Brent le Riche – sponsored by Monster Energy Drink – will be performing their not-to-be-missed two-man, motorcycle trials which includes a number of spectacular stunts using state-of-the-art trial motorbike performed on a specially made rig consisting of ramps, walls, steps and other death-defying obstacles.

Bruce, who is a three-times South African number 1 rider and was ranked number 2 in North America, and Brent, a 12-times South African number 1 rider and was ranked number 4 in North America, have been involved in extreme motorcycle trials since an early age.

“We got involved in the sport through our father,” recalled Brent Le Riche. “It was through his knowledge of the sport, his strong guidance as well as our closeness as siblings, that we were able to reach an international level.”

Le Riche said motorcycle trials was a growing sport in the country, primarily because of the value it provided in teaching riders about motorbike control.

“This skill can then be transferred to other disciplines, such as Enduro and Motorcross,” he explained. “It brings professional and extreme sports to the right people. It’s an amazing sport where you never really reach your peak. You are as good as how hard you push yourself on the day.”

He said performing at The Ballito Pro was such a unique experience because the audience is up close to the razor sharp action which is 35 minutes of extreme wheelies, nose wheelies, ramping and down 3.5m high walls and a number of other insane stunts. The riders wear microphones, backed up with lively music, making the experience fully crowd interactive.

“There is just such an amazing atmosphere at The Ballito Pro, as well as a vibe from the surfing competition. For us, it’s really the best show on our calendar.”

The brothers will be performing at Willard Beach from Thursday, 30 June to Sunday 3 July.

In addition to the extreme sports’ activation, The Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong will include a beach recreational and sports’ programme, a retail area, the Fire Up Your Stoke evening with food, wine and a surf film premiere as well as three nights of free music concerts at Salt Rock Beach and after parties at Crush Night Club for those wanting to continue the fun.

Perfect surf conditions, warm winter days and a relaxed coastal vibe are setting the scene for another fantastic Ballito Pro presented by Billabong at Willard Beach, KwaDukuza from 22 June to 3 July.

This year the annual event promises an even bigger and better line-up for holidaymakers and residents alike with extreme sports, cook-offs, a surf film premiere, beach sports, top quality music and, of course, international-level surfing sure to satisfy all tastes.

“We are very excited to be introducing the inaugural Fire Up your Stoke evening on Wednesday 29 June,” said event co-ordinator, Collette Bundy. “This will be a night of food and wine offering a fun family evening with fantastic cooking competitions, entertainment as well as wine and whiskey tasting.”

The cooking competitions will be divided into several categories, including Mini Cooks, where 3 to 6-year-old children can create sweet treats and the Fine Young Cooks where 7 to 12-year-olds will assemble and cook their own kebab recipes. The Ballito Grill Champs will involve 10 amateur teams competing in a braai cook-off, while the Battle of the Ballito Burger will see local restaurants selling their best burgers while garnering support for the winning spot. Anyone wanting to enter one of the contests can do so by emailing fireupyourstoke@gmail.com

The evening will also involve live music, dance and fashion entertainment as well as an exclusive film premiere. Billabong Team Rider and Big Wave surfer, Matt Bromley, is launching his new movie ‘Risky Business’. The surf film, shot by New Zealand filmmaker Guy Mac, focuses on Bromley chasing down the wildest and most beautiful waves in some of the world’s top surfing spots.

In addition to the high level surfing action taking place throughout The Ballito Pro presented by Billabong, world ranked extreme motorcyclists, Bruce and Brent le Riche, will be providing some awe-inspiring sporting action from Thursday 30 June and Sunday 3 July. The two will perform a range of spectacular stunts on a specially made rig consisting of ramps, walls, steps and other death-defying obstacles. Monster’s mini skate ramps will also provide much enjoyment for young skate enthusiasts.

Thrill-seekers will be attracted to the Mamba Skate Park, organised by the Peg Lunar Projects in collaboration with Red Bull, being held on Thursday 30 June. Set within a jungle, visitors and skaters will be transported to a surreal racetrack which will offer skaters a new experience of technical racing and spectators some non-stop entertainment along with music, food and drinks. The top prize is R2 000 cash as well as a host of Peg products. Entrance is R30 for riders, R20 for spectators with registrations at www.mambaskate.com

Visitors to this year’s festival can look forward to three nights of musical entertainment at the Five Star Ballito Pro free Music Concerts powered by 5FM from Thursday 30 June to Saturday 2 July where some of South Africa’s hottest bands and artists – including Kwesta, NastyC, Shortstraw, Desmond & the Tutus, a host of 5FM DJ’s and many more – will take to the Salt Rock beach stage. Crush Night Club will host the Battle of the DJs, and the Five Star Ballito Pro Free Music Concerts’ Official After Parties.

At Willard Beach there will be a number of events for all ages. Children will be kept occupied at Kiddies Corner with face painting, water balls, sandcastle building contests and a Kiddies Beach dash. For the older crowds, the Beach Festival offers beach soccer, Learn to Surf and volleyball. The Retail Area will ensure visitors are kept enthralled with daily live entertainment, daily fashion shows, dance displays, a food court, cider garden, arts and crafts as well as a number of other exhibitions and stalls.

Make sure you don’t miss out on any of the non-stop action taking place at this world-class holiday destination.

Reigning world champion Adriano de Souza (BRA) heads a potent line-up of elite surfers for the 2016 Ballito Pro presented by Billabong that runs from June 27 – 3 July at Willard Beach in KwaDukuza.

Entries for the first World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series QS10,000 rated event to be staged in 2016 closed on Thursday with more than 150 local and international surfers applying for a start in the 112 man-field who will contest the 48^th edition of the world’s longest running professional surfing event.

De Souza, who clinched the 2015 WSL title when he became the first Brazilian to win the iconic Pipeline Masters in Hawaii in December, will be joined by three more of the world’s top 10 ranked surfers, namely Sebastian Zietz (HAW), winner of the recent Margaret River pro; Caio Ibelli (BRA), who leads the 2016 Rookie of the Year standings; and South Africa’s own Jordy Smith, currently ranked No. 7 and the 2010 Ballito champion and 2013 runner-up.

 “I feel a bit of extra pressure at Ballito but I always want to win so badly in front of everyone at home,” Smith said. “Now that I live abroad people don’t get to see me surf as much, and the support is always so crazy, so I’ll be trying extra hard.”

 A total of 15 of the elite top 34 ranked competitors on the WSL Championship Tour (CT) will be in the mix at Ballito with exciting talents like Jack Freestone (AUS), the runner-up in the last CT event at Rio de Janeiro; perennial standout Jeremy Flores (FRA), who was forced to withdraw from last year’s event due to injury; and defending Ballito Pro champion Alejo Muniz (BRA) all lighting up the waves.

With a total prize-purse of US $260 000 (about R4 million) is on offer, of which US $40 000 and a massive 10,000 points on the QS leaderboard goes to the winner, the event has also attracted entries from all of the top 10 QS ranked surfers, including Italian prodigy Leonardo Fioravanti, Dion Atkinson (AUS) and American brothers Tanner and Patrick Gudauskas who won at Ballito in 2011 and 2013 respectively.

In addition to Smith, the South African challenge for the title will come from Beyrick de Vries from nearby uMhlanga and Michael February (Kommetjie), who at No. 36 is the highest ranked local. Jeffreys Bay residents Dylan Lightfoot and Matt McGillivray have been awarded the wildcards that go to the country’s two highest ranked QS surfers who do not automatically qualify for the event.

 The two wildcards awarded by the WSL and two from sponsors Billabong have not yet been named. They will be joined in the main event by the winner of the all South African, 32-man Ballito Pro Trials, which will be run on Sunday June 26 at Willard Beach.

 The QS1,000 rated Ballito Women’s Pro will start on Sunday and run in conjunction with the men’s event. The Billabong Junior Series, featuring JQS1,000 events for under-18 boys and girls, will be run from June 22-25.

 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: AA Night of Food & Wine’, an extreme sports programme and an exciting retail area, while the Ballito Pro Music Concerts powered by 5FM bring some of South Africa’s most talented music acts to the stage in Salt Rock.

The Ballito Pro presented by Billabong is proudly supported by the KwaDukuza Municipality, Billabong, 5FM, Monster Energy, Zigzag Surfing Magazine, World Surf League (WSL) and Surfing South Africa (SSA).

Flavours to impress at the Coastal Living Bru Food and Wine Festival

Passion, great ingredients and inspired cooking is what it took pro chef Monique Naude from New York Restaurant & Bar and amateur chef Cassidy van de Heever to win the ‘Fleur du Cap So You Think You Can Cook Ballito Style’, hosted at La Montagne Resort in Ballito.

The tightly contested cooking competition was part of the Coastal Living Bru Food and Wine Festival, a fine wining and dining and quality fashion and lifestyle entertainment event (June 30- July 2) that ran concurrently with the international surfing contest, The Ballito Pro presented by Billabong.

The ‘Fleur du Cap So You Think You Can Cook Ballito Style paired together professional and amateur chefs to prepare a mouth-watering dish from mystery box ingredients. Teams had to cook a two-course meal to the theme, ‘liquid motion – evolution of epic’, as well as pair their dish with a Fleur de Cap wine, a new addition to this year’s culinary competition.

The panel of food critics judged the four participating team’s dishes on five requirements: hygiene, professional conduct, creativity, taste and presentation. It was Naude and Van de Heever’s winning dish of beurre blanc seafood trio for mains and their vanilla panna cotta infused with strawberry and a merlon strawberry reduction for dessert that sealed the deal for judges, Joani Mitchell, Genee’ Griffiths and Andrew Draper.

“We didn’t expect to win, we were actually gobsmacked!” exclaimed Pro chef Naude. “It is the first time we have both done something like this and we had an amazing experience. We always said to each other to stop being serious and just have fun.”

Amateur chef van de Heever was overwhelmed with the win and said, “We were hoping for seafood in the mystery box and were so happy to see it because Monique really enjoys cooking with it.”

The victorious team walked away with a range of amazing prizes including a Smeg appliance to the value of R20 000 and a marketing and publicity package from Caxton Magazines for the pro chef and a R5000 Hirsch voucher and cash prize of R10 000 for the amateur chef.

Not to miss out all the foodie action a talented group of budding young chefs, paired together with students from the International Hotel School, rustled up a delicious dish in the Fine Young Cooks Awards. The winners of the three night event were Kai Coates, Julie Blevin and Matthew Wocke.

Other highlights at the food and entertainment event included a restaurant, coffee and wine showcase, a wine auction, live entertainment, a fashion extravaganza by Simply Models and Kevin Ellis and the opportunity for festival goers to taste the best culinary delights that KwaZulu-Natal has to offer at the artisanal food and beverage market.

The Ballito Pro presented by Billabong boasts an epic experience

The Ballito Pro presented by Billabong saw KwaDukuza entrench its title as a world class surfing and holiday destination when it welcomed the world’s surfing elite with over 180 000 visitors to its sunny shores from June 28 to July 5. The biggest beach festival in Africa ran in conjunction with the longest running professional surfing contest in the world and captivated crowds with a week of action packed days and fun filled nights.

Ballito Pro presented by Billabong coordinator, Collette Bundy, was extremely pleased with the success of the expanded event saying, “Bigger and better in every respect, ‘The Ballito Pro Version 20.15 – The Evolution of Epic’ saw KwaDukuza become a hub of activity over the winter holiday season. We would like to thank everyone who made this event possible.”

Festival goers were spoilt for choice during the surfing and lifestyle event with a host of exciting activities to enjoy including beach soccer and volleyball activations; a Tropika Chill Zone, a daily children’s programme, regular stage performances by local dancers, singers and performers and an impressive retail area to explore.

“Billabong has been really proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Ballito Pro this year. As a surf brand we are always looking to partner with events that embrace our lifestyle and with the Ballito Pro being the longest running professional surf event in the world this was a no-brainer. The entire week has been a great success with good waves, beautiful weather and big crowds. We look forward to an even bigger and better event in 2016.”  said Chad D’Arcy (Billabong Group Marketing Manager).

With new and exciting partners on board, The Tropika Ballito Pro Music Concerts Powered by 5FM, Crush Nightclub and Big Night Out was a firm favourite among music lovers. A star-studded line up of SA’s hottest musical acts plus a host of 5FM DJ’s rocked Salt Rock Beach over the three nights of the free non-stop music concerts and lively after parties.

For many, the highlight of the iconic week long festival was the fine wining and dining experience offered at the Coastal Living Bru Food & Wine Exhibition at La Montagne Hotel. Holidaymakers and food connoisseurs alike were treated to a flavour-filled artisan food and beverage market, a restaurant and coffee showcase and wine auction. A number of exciting cooking competitions were also thrown into the mix, including the prestigious “Fleur de Cap so you think you can cook Ballito Style,” where pro and amateur chefs cooked culinary delights to impress a panel of expert judges.

Other thrilling attractions at the festival included the Miss Ballito Pageant, a glamorous fashion show by Simply Models and a spectacular finale co-ordinated by leading Durban stylist, Kevin Ellis.

Festival goers also got to experience the epic action of the Extreme Sports Park which included leaping off the SevensevenSports bagjump, watching death-defying motocross moves from the Le Riche Brothers and skateboarding at the surreal 2nd Lunar Project Event.

For more information like ‘The Ballito Pro’ on Facebook and follow @theballitopro on Twitter.

Alejo Muniz Consolidates QS Rankings lead : Runner-up Dave Cathels leaps to No. 6

Alejo Muniz (BRA) won the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong at Surfer’s Beach in KwaDukuza on Sunday to consolidate his lead at the top of the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) rankings.

Muniz, 25, defeated Davey Cathels (AUS) in the 40-minute Final held in pristine 1.0 to 1.5 metre beach break waves, dropping a near-perfect score of 9.33 out of 10 and adding a 7.83 to leave the 24 year-old Australian in a combination situation where he needed to replace both his counting rides.

The Brazilian had his name etched on the brand new trophy for the Ballito Pro and was elated to hear that his points tally now exceeded the projected cutoff for qualification Top 34 ranked surfers who will contest the elite Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour (CT) in 2016.

“It’s been amazing and I would like to thank everyone that came down to the beach,” Muniz said. “I want to dedicate this trophy to my brother because he’s the one that is pushing me and he’s an amazing person, so I just try to be like him, a good person and really focus on surfing. Thanks all the Brazilians that came down to support me too, and I love Ballito.”

“That’s amazing news,” he added on hearing of the qualification scenario. “I’ve been there (on the CT) for 4 years and it’s a dream come true for us from Brazil to be able to surf against the best, against our idols. There is a lot work to do still but if you’re saying I’m in I believe you and thanks.”

Muniz dominated his Quarterfinal match-up against 17-year-old Kanoa Igarashi (USA), posting a pair of eight point rides, before easing past fellow Brazilian Caio Ibelli in their Semifinal clash with a pair of sevens to reach the Final in Ballito.

Cathels, who rocketed from No. 39 to sixth on the QS rankings after picking up 8 000 points for his runner-up finish in Ballito, was thankful for the time he spent in Ballito.

“It’s been great, I always love it here in Ballito. Everyone’s so nice and the waves were so good and I had a great time with my girlfriend, Mattie,” Cathels said. “I’d like to say great thanks to team Fletcher and his family, they always look after me every time I come here, and Julie and Beyrick de Vries and their family too. South Africans, you guys are always such welcoming people and thanks for having us in your home country.”

His route to the Final saw Cathels secure narrow victories in duels with compatriots Soli Bailey in the quarters and the Mitch Coleborn in the semis.

Caio Ibelli (BRA) moved up eight places to No. 3 on the QS rankings following his third place finish today and is determined to maintain his challenge for a place on the CT for 2016.

“The waves were really fun and I think I fell on my first wave that could have been the wave that would count at the end,” Ibelli said. “I couldn’t find the best wave to get the better score I needed but I’m happy with third, it’s a really good result. The third spot on the QS’s are huge for me and I’m going to keep training and surfing so I can hold that spot until the end of the year.”

Mitch Coleborn (AUS) felt like he missed out in his Semifinal loss to Cathels, but was happy to move into the top 10 in the rankings after finishing third overall in Ballito.

“It was really a shaky start and then I couldn’t come back in the end,” Coleborn said. “I’m still stoked to make it to the semifinal, but I feel like I missed a couple opportunities there so I’m a little bit rattled but it’s all good. I’ve got to stay in the top 10 now and just keep chipping away for the rest of the year.”

The Monster Energy Expression Session presented by Zigzag, run between the Semifinals and Final, saw 10 of South Africa’s most progressive surfers cut loose in the epic conditions with 17-year-old Matt McGillivray from Jeffreys Bay taking home the R20 000 winners paycheque for the most impressive performance during the 30 minute session.

The R25 000 for the Monster Energy Wave of the Week presented by Zigzag was awarded to Michael Rodrigues (BRA) who recorded the only perfect 10 point ride during Round 2 of the Ballito Pro.

The Ballito Pro Festival, the continent’s biggest beach festival, saw tens of thousands of locals and holiday-makers enjoy a week of beach, music and extreme sports entertainment, including some of the country’s best live acts at the Tropika Ballito Pro Music Concert Powered by 5FM at Salt Rock and a unique beachside retail precinct.

The Ballito Pro presented by Billabong was proudly supported by the KwaDukuza Municipality, Billabong, 5FM, Monster Energy, Zigzag Surfing Magazine, World Surf League (WSL) and Surfing South Africa (SSA).

See more details on the 2015 Ballito Pro, the world’s longest running professional surfing event, at www.worldsurfleague.com and www.theballitopro.co.za

Ballito Men’s Pro Finals
1. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 17.16
2. Davey Cathels (AUS) 10.03

Ballito Men’s Pro Semi Finals
S1: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 15.37 def. Caio Ibelli (BRA) 13.63
S2: Davey Cathels (AUS) 13.33 def. Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 10.60

Ballito Men’s Pro Quarter Finals
Q1: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 16.50 def. Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 13.33
Q2: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 13.17 def. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 12.57
Q3: Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 16.33 def. Santiago Muniz (ARG) 15.67
Q4: Davey Cathels (AUS) 14.27 def. Soli Bailey (AUS) 14.16