Cape Town Surf Pro Incoming!
- Surfers From Madagascar, Morocco, and Mozambique Join The Cape Town Surf Pro Lineup
- Top Seed Luke Thompson Up For The Challenge
- First Call, Saturday, 16 March At 7:00 AM Local Time
- More Available at WorldSurfLeague.co
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Thursday, 14 March 2024). The World Surf League (WSL) Africa Qualifying Series (QS) contingent will head to Long Beach, Kommetjie. This for the Cape Town Surf Pro this weekend 16-17 March 2024. The event offers 1,000 points toward the 2023/2024 QS season and 2024 Challenger Series qualification. These count toward World Junior Championships qualification. With only two events on the schedule for this season, it’s a make-or-break scenario for anyone with their eyes set on qualifying.
Surfers From Madagascar, Morocco and Mozambique Join The Lineup
Joe Kennedy (MDG) is the first surfer from Madagascar to compete officially in the WSL QS. This will be his first time competing in South Africa.
“I only began competing internationally in the WSL last year, the first time for Madagascar, and this will be my first time in South Africa, too. I am very excited to surf these famous breaks,” said Kennedy. “My goal for this event is to represent my country well and enter Madagascar into the African rankings for the first time.”
Morocco’s Aboubakar Bouaouda and Mozambique’s Nelson Nhamona will join the lineup of African surfers. They are also competing at the Cape Town Surf Pro.
Top Seeds Luke Thompson and Natasha van Greunen Up For The Challenge
Entering this event as the top seed, Cape Town’s Luke Thompson knows he has a target on his back but is up for the challenge.
“It’s a different kind of feeling, going into the year as number one,” Thompson admitted. “Last year, I was the underdog, and now all the eyes are on me. Pressure is a privilege. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I’m excited to get the contest season started. I learnt a lot last year and look forward to implementing it this year.”
The men’s draw features a stacked lineup, with Adin Masencamp (RSA), Daniel Emslie (RSA). Long-time QS competitor Shane Sykes (RSA) making his return to competitive surfing alongside a handful of international competitors.
“It’s really cool to compete against other international competitors in our regional QS before you get to the Challenger Series,” Thompson said. “Having the likes of Joe and Aboubakar come down to South Africa pushes our surfing. It challenges us to surf against someone you haven’t competed against before in your junior career.”
Luke Thompson. (Photo by Pierre Tostee/World Surf League)
Natasha van Greunen (RSA) will rely on local knowledge and experience as she enters the event as the top seed. She has a simple goal of winning. A good result at the Cape Town Surf Pro is crucial if she wants to qualify for the Challenger Series again.
Van Greunen will compete against fellow Challenger Series competitors Jessie van Niekerk (RSA), Kira Hofmeyr (RSA), and Danielle Powis (RSA).
The first call for the Cape Town Surf Pro will be on Saturday, 16 March, at 07:00 AM local time, with a possible start time of 7:30 AM.
The Cape Town Surf Pro will be supported by Surfing South Africa, Accelerate Sport, City of Cape Town, O’Neill and Red Bull.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
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