Billabong SA Junior Champs – Day 4

Instead of us babbling on about how the surf was incredible and how Jbay delivered another wonderful day of waves, and how the groms were shredding up a storm on the long drawn out canvas’ of Lower Point, Jeffreys Bay, we thought we’d save you the trouble of reading the same old report you’ve read for the past who knows how many years and just give you a gallery of our fave images, a video of Mr Chad D’arcy walking us around the contest site and a collection of our Insta stories. And if you so desire, you may scroll below all of that and delight yourself in (another) riveting press release. 

 Enjoy Billabong Marketing Manager and all round great human, Mr Chad D’arcy give us a tour around the contest site.

We then went round the contest site presenting the groms with some tricky decisions, like; Would you rather be an SUP’er for 5 years or do the WQS for 30 years straight? The groms handled the pressure with supreme aplomb. Watch the video below.

Please enjoy a selection of our fave images.

Zoe Steyn, always solid. Image: Ian Thurtell

Zia Hendricks is 10 years old, youngest of the Pellsrus Storm. Today she surfed triple overhead Lower Point, and won her heat convincingly. Image: Kody McGregor

Max is calm, cool and collected. today he casually won his heat and exited the water before the heat was over. Image: Ian Thurtell

Luke Malherbe. he shreds. And he's got a great backhand. Image: Kody McGregor

Kye Macgregor has matured into a wonderful young surfer. Surfing out of his skin. And it's great to watch. Image: Kody McGregor

Kody Oberholzer pushes the limits even when he doesn't have to. And it's great to watch. Image: Kody McGregor

Joshe Faulkner leader of Pellsrus Storm. What a unique surfer. Always going for broke. You never know what he's going to do on a wave, and he's got a whole bunch of younger kids following in his footsteps. Image: Kody McGregor

Ford Van Jaarsveld, smooth as ever. Image: Kody McGregor

Caroline Brown. going for broke. Image: Kody McGregor

Angelo 'the man' Faulkner has something to prove after he was left out of the ISA junior team. And he's been surfing with more conviction. Image: Ian Thurtell

Adin Masencamp, fresh off worlds and always a standout. Image: Kody McGregor

Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS

Lower Point, Jeffreys Bay

October 4-8, 2017

Phenomenal Surf and Perfect Scores as Semi-Finalists Decided at Billabong SA Junior Champs pres. by BOS

The penultimate day of the 2017 Billabong SA Champs presented by BOS saw the semi-finalists decided in another action packed day of excellent, rippable surf at the Point in Jeffrey’s Bay on Saturday.

The beach was alive with cheers from the various district teams as they got behind their teammates, knowing that a spot on finals day will be valuable to their team standings. Those still in contention are a step closer to a coveted South African junior surfing title and a place in the record books.

“What a great day again – conditions were phenomenal this morning,” said commentator Kai Linder. “All the U18 heat winners were standouts and in the U12 boys and girls semi-finals the mini-groms were charging double overhead conditions. Then Nate Colby, on the last wave of the day, scores a perfect ten! All the U12’s were heroes today!”

The U18 boy’s quarterfinals were a blur of high quality surfing that saw seasoned competitors Ford Van Jaarsveldt (Cape Town Surfriders) and Adin Masencamp (Cape Winelands) shred their way to the semis along with Koby Oberholzer (eThekweni), Joshe Faulkner (Nelson Mandela Bay), Ethan Fletcher (Cape Town Surfriders) and Nathan Wallace (eThekweni).

Zoe Steyn (Buffalo City) once again dominated on her backhand in the U14 girls’ quarterfinals whilst dark-horse Jesse Powell (Ugu) managed to eliminate former SA champ Kayla Nogueira (eThekweni) in a major upset. Lhea Johnston (Buffalo City) and Ceara Knight (Cape Winelands) will be joining Cape Town Surfriders teammates Caroline Brown and Katie Winter on the final day of competition.

The fact that five near perfect high nine-point rides have been posted in the U16 girls division demonstrates the high level of surfing. Kai Woolf (Nelson Mandela Bay) and Julia Ploughman (Cape Town Surfriders) were the first semi finalists to be decided before S’nenhlanhla Makhubu (eThekweni) began her heat with a near-perfect 9.83 and left the rest of the heat in combination.

Joining them in the semi finals will be Tayla De Coning (Buffalo City), Summer Sutton (Cape Town Surfriders), Juliet Fliet (Cape Winelands) and eThekweni team members Gabi Lailvaux and Olivia Izzard.

A slight onshore wind and increase in swell gave the U18 girls had plenty to work with. Nelson Mandela Bay’s Kirsty McGillivray, Kelly Medley and Zoe Smith were right at home in their backyard and soared their way to the semi’s. Eden ladies Taghiti Gerick and Nina Harmse will be in action in the semi’s too alongside Cape Wineland surfers Sarah Ingram and Natasha Van Greunen.

The U12 girls put on another gutsy performance in their Round 2 match-ups. Gabi Herbst (eThekweni) and Maya Figl (Cape Winelands) surfed their way to the semi finals. A change in schedule saw the girls hit the water again at the end of the day. Scarlette Van Jaarsveldt (Cape Town Surfriders) advanced to the final with Herbst. Zia Hendricks (Nelson Mandela Bay) and Figl both dropped excellent scores in the second semi and will be in the mix for the title.

The U14 boys displayed some excellent and precise surfing and it was the on form eThekweni members Nate Spalding and Luke Thompson who progressed with Kye Macgregor (Nelson Mandela Bay), Brad Scott (Cape Town Surfriders) and Buffalo City surfers Daniel Emslie and Mitch Du Preez.

The semi finals for the U16 boys could each be a final! Semi 1 will be Angelo Faulkner (Nelson Mandela Bay), Saxton Randall (eThekweni) and Cape Town Surfriders Max Elkington and Luke Slijpen while Semi 2 will be just as exciting with Tide Lee Ireland (eThekweni), Aya Gericke (Eden), Bryce Du Preez (Buffalo City) and Eli Beukes (Cape Town Surfriders).

To end off the day the U12 boys’ finalists were decided. Kyra Bennie (Cape Winelands), Nate Colby (eThekweni), who posted the first perfect 10 point ride of the event, River Gericke (Eden) and Ethan Currin (Buffalo City) will be battling out for the SA title on Sunday.

Organisers are expecting a slight bump in swell size and offshore winds for tomorrow’s final day as the country’s top juniors compete for individual titles in U12, U14, U16 and U18 boys and girls divisions, while earning points towards the coveted Freedom Cup that goes to the district whose team accumulate the highest total.

There are also a number of specialty awards at stake including the BOS Highest Heat Score, VonZipper Airshow and the Wazoogles Surfer of the Event for Boys and Girls, while the team displaying the best spirit throughout the five-day event receives the prized Loud & Proud trophy.

As part of Surfing South Africa’s commitment to transformation, the South African Development Academy team is participating thanks to support from Sea Harvest and a grant from Sport and Recreation South Africa.

All the action from the Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS can be followed via:

Hashtag:       #SAJuniorChamps

Website:

Contest schedule, results and images will be posted daily on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Surfing South Africa (SSA) is the recognised governing body for surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA)