BALLITO, KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Friday, July 5, 2024) - The Ballito Pro Presented by O'Neill, Stop No. 3 of the 2024 World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series (CS) enjoyed an electrifying day of competition, completing the women's and men's Round of 32 in fun three-to-four foot conditions. As the cross-shore wind picked up in the afternoon, it created the perfect ramps for competitors to take to the air, keeping the crowds on the beach on the edge of their seats. The next call will be on Saturday, July 6 at 07:00 AM GMT+2 for a possible 07:35 AM start.
Sally Fitzgibbons - WSL / Pierre Tostee
Fitzgibbons, Erostarbe and Silva Advance, Battle For Top 5 Heats Up
The battle for the Top 5 is heating up, with Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Nadia Erostarbe (EUK) and Luana Silva (BRA) all advancing to the next round. In the first heat of the day, South Africa's Sarah Baum (RSA) took control and kept the lead right through to the end, but the real battle was for second place. Fitzgibbons only required a mid-range score, but kept being denied. In the final minutes, the veteran went all in and let her fins free for a huge turn into the end section and finally got rewarded with a 6.07 (out of a possible 10) to advance.
"I was so ready to battle," Fitzgibbons said. "It was one of those heats where I just couldn't figure it out, so on that last one I just had to throw everything I had on it. It felt so good, but I didn't know what the scenario was so when I heard the score it was just magic. I love surfing these heats where we push and challenge each other, that's why I still show up everyday," Fitzgibbons reflected.
In a close matchup with Tessa Thyssen (FRA), Teresa Bonvalot (POR) and Mafalda Lopes (POR), it was the calculated approach from Bronte Macaulay (AUS) that earned her the win, with Thyssen in second. Improving on her last result in Sydney, Macaulay is currently just below the Championship Tour qualification line.
"I was really looking forward to coming back here this year," Macaulay said. "I'm actually riding the same board I rode last year throughout the event, so I kind of put it on ice and tried not to ride it too much at home. It's quite punchy out there and I feel like this board just fits right in with the wave."
Nadia Erostarbe (EUK) scored an excellent 8.33 to take the win over Bella Kenworthy (USA), going absolutely vertical on her powerful backhand.
"I tried to do some safe surfing, but sometimes I just get so excited when the waves are good," Erostarbe said. "I'm glad I made it, the girls all surf so good so I knew they could overtake me any time."
Luana Silva - WSL / Kody McGregor
It was a see-saw battle in the last women's Round of 32 heat between Leilani McGonagle (CRC), Luana Silva (BRA), Francisca Veselko (POR) and Anon Matsuoka (JPN). The lead changed hands several times with some smart surfing from Silva, but Veselko fought back hard to get the win.
"That was a crazy heat," Silva said. "I think all the girls held the lead at some point. There's a lot of nerves and anxiety with the first heat, so I'm really happy to make it."
Jackson Bunch - WSL / Kody McGregor
Bunch, Vaughan and Pupo Air Show Keep Crowds On Their Feet
Hawaii's Jackson Bunch scored the highest heat total of the day with 18.27 (out of a possible 20), feeling right at home on Ballito's lefts to launch massive frontside airs and stick the landing for an 8.67 and a 9.60, leaving the rest of the field in a combination situation.
"I was really excited to go surf," Bunch said. "Sure enough right before my heat started the wind started to pick up and I knew that I could definitely go to the air. I just got two really good air sections and I'm glad it worked out. Back home the wind blows into the lefts every day so I'm so used to it, I kind of went out there and surfed it like it was home."
The men's Round of 32 started with a bang, when Joel Vaughan (AUS) identified the perfect air sections. Vaughan launched a huge frontside rail grab for a 6.67, and then went even bigger on another frontside rotation for an excellent 8.50 to take the win ahead of Morgan Cibilic (AUS) and secure his best result on the Challenger Series for the year so far.
"I was quite deep and I just scratched into it," Vaughan said about his excellent ride. "I didn't have a lot of speed but I just saw a good end section and sent it for the flats and glad I made it. I was hoping it will be better than my 6-point rides so I was stoked to get the 8."
Samuel Pupo - WSL / Pierre Tostee
Rankings leader Samuel Pupo (BRA) launched himself into the next round with a big maneuver and a smooth landing into the white water for an excellent 8.00. It was a slower heat, but Pupo adapted to the conditions to take the win ahead of Hiroto Ohhara (JPN).
"Our heat went kind of quiet and we didn't get any sets," Pupo said. "So I had to grind on the small waves and go for the airs. I haven't done airs for a while so I was glad I landed most of them, it was fun."
Pupo, surrounded by friends and fellow Brazilian athletes, said it means a lot to have a supportive crew around during the Challenger Series.
"It means so much, I feel like this crew, we've been sticking together for a while and now we have all these younger guys joining us too like Ryan Kainalo and Leo Casal. It just brings all the good energy for everyone, watching each other's heats and trying to give them the best feedback possible so we can all keep advancing.
Joining Pupo in the next round is former Ballito Pro winner Deivid Silva (BRA), Ian Gouveia (BRA), Michael Rodrigues (BRA) and Edgard Groggia (BRA).
The next call will be on Saturday, July 6 at 06:30 AM GMT+2 for a possible 07:05 AM start.
The Ballito Pro is supported by O'Neill, KwaDukuza Municipality, Surfing South Africa, Corona, The North Coast Courier, Monster Energy, SMG and Coca-Cola.
Performance Level Goes Sky High at the Ballito Pro Presented by O'Neill
WSL
BALLITO, KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Friday, July 5, 2024) - The Ballito Pro Presented by O'Neill, Stop No. 3 of the 2024 World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series (CS) enjoyed an electrifying day of competition, completing the women's and men's Round of 32 in fun three-to-four foot conditions. As the cross-shore wind picked up in the afternoon, it created the perfect ramps for competitors to take to the air, keeping the crowds on the beach on the edge of their seats. The next call will be on Saturday, July 6 at 07:00 AM GMT+2 for a possible 07:35 AM start.
Fitzgibbons, Erostarbe and Silva Advance, Battle For Top 5 Heats Up
The battle for the Top 5 is heating up, with Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Nadia Erostarbe (EUK) and Luana Silva (BRA) all advancing to the next round. In the first heat of the day, South Africa's Sarah Baum (RSA) took control and kept the lead right through to the end, but the real battle was for second place. Fitzgibbons only required a mid-range score, but kept being denied. In the final minutes, the veteran went all in and let her fins free for a huge turn into the end section and finally got rewarded with a 6.07 (out of a possible 10) to advance.
"I was so ready to battle," Fitzgibbons said. "It was one of those heats where I just couldn't figure it out, so on that last one I just had to throw everything I had on it. It felt so good, but I didn't know what the scenario was so when I heard the score it was just magic. I love surfing these heats where we push and challenge each other, that's why I still show up everyday," Fitzgibbons reflected.
In a close matchup with Tessa Thyssen (FRA), Teresa Bonvalot (POR) and Mafalda Lopes (POR), it was the calculated approach from Bronte Macaulay (AUS) that earned her the win, with Thyssen in second. Improving on her last result in Sydney, Macaulay is currently just below the Championship Tour qualification line.
"I was really looking forward to coming back here this year," Macaulay said. "I'm actually riding the same board I rode last year throughout the event, so I kind of put it on ice and tried not to ride it too much at home. It's quite punchy out there and I feel like this board just fits right in with the wave."
Nadia Erostarbe (EUK) scored an excellent 8.33 to take the win over Bella Kenworthy (USA), going absolutely vertical on her powerful backhand.
"I tried to do some safe surfing, but sometimes I just get so excited when the waves are good," Erostarbe said. "I'm glad I made it, the girls all surf so good so I knew they could overtake me any time."
It was a see-saw battle in the last women's Round of 32 heat between Leilani McGonagle (CRC), Luana Silva (BRA), Francisca Veselko (POR) and Anon Matsuoka (JPN). The lead changed hands several times with some smart surfing from Silva, but Veselko fought back hard to get the win.
"That was a crazy heat," Silva said. "I think all the girls held the lead at some point. There's a lot of nerves and anxiety with the first heat, so I'm really happy to make it."
Bunch, Vaughan and Pupo Air Show Keep Crowds On Their Feet
Hawaii's Jackson Bunch scored the highest heat total of the day with 18.27 (out of a possible 20), feeling right at home on Ballito's lefts to launch massive frontside airs and stick the landing for an 8.67 and a 9.60, leaving the rest of the field in a combination situation.
"I was really excited to go surf," Bunch said. "Sure enough right before my heat started the wind started to pick up and I knew that I could definitely go to the air. I just got two really good air sections and I'm glad it worked out. Back home the wind blows into the lefts every day so I'm so used to it, I kind of went out there and surfed it like it was home."
The men's Round of 32 started with a bang, when Joel Vaughan (AUS) identified the perfect air sections. Vaughan launched a huge frontside rail grab for a 6.67, and then went even bigger on another frontside rotation for an excellent 8.50 to take the win ahead of Morgan Cibilic (AUS) and secure his best result on the Challenger Series for the year so far.
"I was quite deep and I just scratched into it," Vaughan said about his excellent ride. "I didn't have a lot of speed but I just saw a good end section and sent it for the flats and glad I made it. I was hoping it will be better than my 6-point rides so I was stoked to get the 8."
Rankings leader Samuel Pupo (BRA) launched himself into the next round with a big maneuver and a smooth landing into the white water for an excellent 8.00. It was a slower heat, but Pupo adapted to the conditions to take the win ahead of Hiroto Ohhara (JPN).
"Our heat went kind of quiet and we didn't get any sets," Pupo said. "So I had to grind on the small waves and go for the airs. I haven't done airs for a while so I was glad I landed most of them, it was fun."
Pupo, surrounded by friends and fellow Brazilian athletes, said it means a lot to have a supportive crew around during the Challenger Series.
"It means so much, I feel like this crew, we've been sticking together for a while and now we have all these younger guys joining us too like Ryan Kainalo and Leo Casal. It just brings all the good energy for everyone, watching each other's heats and trying to give them the best feedback possible so we can all keep advancing.
Joining Pupo in the next round is former Ballito Pro winner Deivid Silva (BRA), Ian Gouveia (BRA), Michael Rodrigues (BRA) and Edgard Groggia (BRA).
The next call will be on Saturday, July 6 at 06:30 AM GMT+2 for a possible 07:05 AM start. The Ballito Pro is supported by O'Neill, KwaDukuza Municipality, Surfing South Africa, Corona, The North Coast Courier, Monster Energy, SMG and Coca-Cola.
Africa
Anastasia Venter and Daniel Emslie come out on top!
Lily Heny and Luke Thompson Win WSL Africa Regional Junior Titles
A big opening day to the final JQS of the season!
Upsets and big performances shake up rankings.
The third and final stop on the regional JQS for 2024.
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