Louise Lepront and Ntokozo Maphumulo win Seal Point Pro Junior presented by RYD and Arakawa Performance Surfboards

Louise Lepront and Ntokozo Maphumulo won the Seal Point Pro Junior presented by RYD and Arakawa Performance Surfboards today in challenging waves and windswept conditions. This was the third and final event for the WSL Africa region and concludes the 2022/2023 JQS season.

It was a cold and gloomy day in Cape St Francis, with rain squalls and strong onshore winds making everything a bit trickier for competitors and organisers alike. Despite the challenging conditions, the surfers made the most of it and managed to produce great surfing.

In the women's final, 15-year-old Louise Lepront was one of the youngest competitors in the heat, but it didn't hold her back to claim her first-ever JQS win. Lepront made the first move when she locked in a 6.17 and this set the tone for the rest of the heat, putting the pressure on her fellow competitors.

Louise Lepront - WSL / Kody McGregor

The wild and unruly conditions made wave selection critical, and Lepront improved her position when she dropped into a big wave. She executed a beautiful, deep bottom turn on her backhand to set her up for two maneuvers, earning a 5.23 to seal the deal with a total of 11.40. Gemma Hanafey secured second with two 4-point rides, while Anastasia Venter couldn't find a decent backup score for her 6.50 and had to settle for third with wildcard Zia Hendricks in fourth.

"I'm super stoked to take out my first win in the JQS," Lepront reacted. "I can't wait to go to the World Junior Championships next year in January. A big thank you to my mom and brother for all their help, and to all my sponsors and the organisers for putting up this event."

Ntokozo Maphumulo - WSL / Kody McGregor

The men's final got off to a quick start, with a great opening exchange from Durban surfers Ntokozo Maphumulo and James Ribbink. Maphumulo got the better of the situation with a 6.67. Staying low over his board to manage the bumpy conditions, Maphumulo used his speed to execute a handful of quick turns and commit to the heavier sections.

Ribbink found another decent wave, cracking a big turn in the pocket, and staying with the wave as it reformed on the inside to fit in a few more turns and finishing strong for a 5.30 to take the lead. Meanwhile, Mitch Du Preez steadily built on his scores and moved into second place.

As time was running out, Maphumulo was sitting in third when he caught a wave out the back and had to work hard to manufacture the required score of 3.40. The judges rewarded him with a 3.70 and Maphumulo secured the win ahead of Ribbink, with Du Preez in third and Luke Van Wyk in fourth. This is his debut JQS win and career-best result. It was only a matter of time when the Durbanite would get his first win, and he was elated with the result.

"It was a really hard day at the beach, but thanks to my coaches, we spoke about the waves and conditions were tough but we made it through the day and I'm psyched," Maphumulo said. "Thanks to everyone behind the scenes, setting up the contest and a big shoutout to my sponsors for getting me here, keeping me stoked."

Daniel Emslie - WSL / Kody McGregor

With the third and final event of the 2022/2023 season wrapped up, the WSL Africa Junior Champions were determined. Daniel Emslie won the WSL Africa Men's Junior Champion title on a tie-breaker, with the top two results from the three events counting in his favour. Emslie was also rewarded with an Arakawa Performance Surfboard and R1000 paid into an EasyEquities Account. Mitch du Preez surfed his way into second place on the rankings, qualifying alongside Emslie for the World Junior Championships.

Louise Lepront's win at the Seal Point Pro Junior launched her into the top position on the rankings and she wins the WSL Africa Women's Junior Champion title. Lepront was also rewarded with a Yyelo watch for her achievement. Gemma Hanafey defended her second place on the rankings with her runner-up finish at the Seal Point Pro Junior and will join Lepront at the World Junior Championships.

WSL Africa Men's Junior Rankings

1. Emslie, Daniel
2. Du Preez, Mitch
3. Lepront, Luc
4. Boshoff, Jordan
5. Ribbink, James
6. Maphumulo, Ntokozo
7. Van Wyk, Luke
8. Slijpen, Connor
9. Colby, Nate
10. Jefferis, Joshua

WSL Africa Women's Junior Rankings

1. Lepront, Louise
2. Hanafey, Gemma
3. Hofmeyr, Kira
4. Venter, Anastasia
5. Steyn, Zoe
6. Wolmarans, Adriel
7. Hendricks, Zia
8. Scott, Sarah
9. Dos Santos, Senna-Micvale
10. Mseleku, Ziphozonke

The Seal Point Pro Junior is supported by RYD, Arakawa Performance Surfboards, Yyelo Watches, Surfing South Africa, Seal Point Boardriders, Seal Point Lighthouse, Surf Education Africa and Jbay Surf Fest.