Junior surfers make their mark
2008-06-28 12:12
Johannesburg - A cross-section of South Africa's junior surfing talent was represented on day one of the 3A Surfing South Africa Mr Price Pro Junior, as girls, boys and development surfers tore apart the clean 0.5m waves on offer at Durban's New Pier.
Diminutive Southern Cape surfer Bianca Buitendag (George) emerged as a standout performer, outscoring the entire pro junior girls field with the highest heat total of the morning, a 15.00 (out of a possible 20.00).
Third on the Surfing South Africa U20 girls Pro Surf Tour ratings Buitendag, earned an excellent 8.00 ride (out of a possible 10.00) for a series of powerful snaps, defeating French surfer Pauline Ado, Danielle Le Roux (Dbn) and Amber Kilfoil (Dbn).
"I couldn't have asked for a better start to this event," Buitendag said. "The waves were pretty small but I made sure I was on the right ones - I knew that's what it was going to take to win out there today."
Defending Mr Price Pro Junior champion Nikita Robb (East London) slipped smoothly into pro junior mode after campaigning full time on the international circuit this year. Robb snatched a comfortable victory over up-and-coming Durban surfer Kirsty Delport, Catherine Lee and Leslee Salzman (Dbn).
"I'm stoked to get that first heat over and done with," Robb said. "Whenever I come back from oversees I notice the growth in our junior surfers - I would even go as far as to say I felt a little threatened by a few of them out there today. I'll definitely be keeping my eye on some of them in the upcoming heats."
Currently rated 20th on the ASP World Qualifying Series, Robb said she was taking the Mr Price Pro Junior just as seriously as the upcoming 5-Star Women's World Qualifying Series event that gets underway on Monday.
"The Mr Price Pro Junior is a good event to win, you get a lot of exposure out of it and it's a great warm up going straight into the WQS," Robb said.
"It's always good to get a few extra heats under your belt and get some momentum going."
Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie) and Lee-Ann Curren (France) looked equally impressive, both surfers earning 7.00 rides to win their respective heats and advance into the quarterfinals.
In the boys division, it was talented north coast surfer Bo Shabala (Umhlanga) who led the way during the Glodina Pro Junior Boys trials.
Shabalala defeated a line-up of fresh talent from the Durban and South KZN Regions.
Competing for one coveted spot into Round 3 of the Mr Price Pro Junior, Shabalala was one of eight surfers from the KZN development and transformation program who competed in two rounds of competition to defeat New Pier local James Maddocks (Durban), Mbongweni Hlengwa (KZN South Coast) and Fika Ngubane (Durban).
"I'm very stoked to be seeded into Round 3," Shabalala said. "I surfed this event last year but I didn't do too well. I've been surfing a lot of junior events recently and got a bit more experience. Now I just hope the surf gets a bit bigger. Then we'll see some real surfing."
Shabalala takes on defending event Champion and current PST pro junior ratings leader Klee Strachan (Winkelspruit) in Round 3 tomorrow, while the remaining seven trialists featured in Round 1.
Fika Ngubane (Durban) was the only advancing development surfer from Round 1, placing second behind heat winner Nick Godfrey (Cape St Francis). The pair defeated Mbongeni Hlengwa (KZN South Coast) and Vusi Nyawase (Durban).
Godfrey, currently rated fourth on the U20 boys PST ratings, made up for his late entry by posting a sensational 15.50 heat total, consisting of excellent 8.50 and 7.00 scores to advance into the Round of 48.
Jamie Lawrence (Cape St Francis), Dane Staples (St Francis Bay), Jacob Mellish (Somerset West), Devon Mundow (Dbn), Steven Sawyer (Jeffrey's Bay), Nick Godfrey (Cape St Francis), Benji Brand (Kommetjie) and Hayden MacNicol (Scottburgh) advanced in first place later in the afternoon.
The Mr Price Pro Junior continues on Sunday which will see the 2008 boys and girls champions crowned at approximately 16:00. The girls final is scheduled for 15:00 while the boys will take place at 13:35.
- SAPA