Kom locals Mikey February and Tanika Hoffman have both put in solid performances this past week on the international Pro Junior stage. Tanika placed fourth in the Billabong Sopelana Pro Junior, while Mikey advanced to the quarter finals of the US Open of Surfing Pro Junior, currently underway at Huntington Beach. Mikey moves into the final sixteen of what is one of the toughest international Pro Junior comps, with a winner decided later this week.
Tanika Hoffman places fourth in Billabong Sopelana Pro Junior in France
SA’s Tanika Hoffman placed fourth amongst ASP Europe’s best 20-and-under female surfers in the Billabong Sopelana Pro Junior event in France last week.
The 19 year-old from Cape Town won her Round 2 and quarter-final heats before advancing to the final when she finished runner-up to Maud le Car (FRA) in the semis.
Hoffman earned US $150 for her fourth place behind winner Cannelle Bulard (REU), le Car and Garazi Sanchez Ortun (ESP) respectively in the difficult one metre waves in the final.
All the results can be found at http://sopelana.aspeurope.com/
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Michael February advances to quarter-finals at Nike US Open of Surfing Pro Junior in California
SA’s Michael February continued his stellar run of contest performances to advance through two rounds on the opening day of the 4-Star rated Nike US Open of Surfing Pro Junior at Huntington Beach in California on Saturday.
February, 19, from Kommetjie, Cape Town, was on fire in the tricky one metre conditions, convincingly winning his opening heat and then placing second behind Hawaiian standout and current ASP North America Pro Junior ratings leader, Keanu Asing, to move into the last 16 in the event.
The Nike US Open of Surfing runs from 28 July to Sunday 5 August and includes Pro Junior events for men and women, an ASP Prime rated men’s event and the seventh and final ASP Women’s WCT event for 2012 alongside skateboarding, music concerts and a massive exhibition area.
SA’s Jordy Smith (Cape Town), Travis Logie (Durban) and Shaun Joubert (formerly Mossel Bay, now California) are seeded directly into the Round of 96 in the Prime rated men’s event. Rudy Palmboom (Bluff, Durban) is one of 32 surfers in the trials from which four will qualify for the main event.
All the action from the Nike US Open of Surfing can be followed live via usopenofsurfing.com starting at approximately 5pm SA time daily.
