Final Day Of The Billabong Junior Series

Breezy onshore conditions and a slight surge in swell greeted competitors on the final day of competition at the Billabong Junior Series Finale, and the first heat of the day – the U12 Girls Final  – was sent straight out into the Seal Point lineup..Gabi Herbst was the surfer of the morning with a few incredible rides in the mixed up conditions, including an excellent 8.0 out of 10 for one ride which secured the title. Sarah Scott was the runner up.

Kai Hall was the champion in the U12 Boys final, banking one huge score for two critical turns on a big set wave for a near-perfect score of 9.33 and an unassailable lead. Hall was closely followed by Joel Fowles who surfed impressively on his backhand.

The U14 Girls division was a slow heat, with low scores and at the end of the heat it was Aimee Du Preez who emerged as the winner, with Olivia Winter in second place.

Luke Thompson caught 11 waves in his Final heat to defeat James Ribbink in what was an exciting U14 Boys heat. Thompson’s strategy of hard and fast surfing, catch anything that moved, proved to be the winning formula, with Ribbink, Daniel Emslie and Brad Scott filling up the minor slots.

As the tide dropped out and the onshore waves continued to pour through relentlessly, the U16 Girls headed out for their final, and it was an action-packed exchange with three of the girls on their backhand and one on her forehand. Zoe Steyn emerged victorious with a convincing win against her counterparts Kayla Nogueira, Ceara Knight and Caroline Brown who placed second, third and fourth respectively.

The U16 Boys was another final dogged by few waves and low scores. Tide-Lee Ireland snagged the win from York Van Jaarsveldt with a combined score of less than 9 points. Mitch Du Preez and Reilly Mare’ finished off the results with third and fourth spots.

The World Surf League (WSL) Junior Women’s final a nail-biting affair as Zoe Steyn and Kai Woolf took centre stage. Both surfers had been surfing phenomenally all event and it was going to be about the surfer who caught the best waves. That was Steyn, and she won the final by a close margin from Woolf.

Then Max Elkington and Luke Slijpen took to the water to battle it out for event honours in the WSL Junior Men’s event. It was all about Elkington who took the win and broke his year-long victory drought with his first place.

“I haven’t had a win this year, and for a bit of last year, so I am really happy with the win today,” said a stoked Elkington. “I also won it last here two years ago, so just very happy with the win.”

Billabong Junior Series Seal Point pres by BOS

Final Results:

U12 Girls

1. Gabi Herbst
2. Sarah Scott
3. Anastasia Venter
4. Meka Loots

U12 Boys

1. Kai Hall
2. Joel Fowles
3. Ntokozo ‘Surprise’ Maphumalo
4. Asha Steytler

U14 Girls

1. Aimee Du Preez
2. Olivia Winter
3. Adrian Wolmarans
4. Kaylee Shaw Nell

U14 Boys

1. Luke Thompson
2. James Ribbink
3. Daniel Emslie
4. Brad Scott

U16 Girls

1. Zoe Steyn
2. Kayla Nogueira
3. Ceara Knight
4. Caroline Brown

U16 Boys

1. Tide Lee Ireland
2. York Van Jaarsveldt
3. Mitch Du Preez
4. Reilly Mare

WSL Junior Men

1. Max Elkington
2. Luke Slijpen

WSL Junior Women

1. Zoe Steyn
2. Kai Woolf

VonZipper Expression Session

Luke Slijpen

BOS Highest Heat Score Award

Zoe Steyn

2018 Billabong Junior Series Results (Including Ballito & Seal Point)

U12 Girls

1. Gabi Herbst
2. Anastasia venter

U12 Boys

1. Ntokozo Maphumalo
2. Joel Fowles

U14 Girls

1. Aimee Du Prees
2. Olivia Winter

U14 Boys

1. Luke Thompson
2. Dan Emslie

U16 Boys

1. Mitch Du Preez
2. York Van Jaarsveldt

WSL Junior Women

1. Zoe Steyn
2. Kirsty McGillivray

WSL Junior Men

1. Luke Slijpen
2. Max Elkington

2018 WSL Africa Junior Men’s Rankings (After Billabong Junior Series Seal Point –event 8 of 8)

1 Luke Slijpen 4060 points    2018 Champion
2 Max Elkington 3090
3 Eli Beukes 2634
4 Luke Thompson 2440
5 Bryce Du Preez 2435

2018 WSL Africa Junior Women’s Rankings (After Billabong Junior Series Seal Point –event 7 of 7)

1 Kai Woolf 4750 points    2018 Champion
2 Zoe Steyn 3870
3 Sophie Bell 2815
4 Kirsty McGillivray 2685
5 Kayla Nogueira 2380

2018 WSL Africa Junior squad to attend the WSL World Junior Championships (Taiwan in December)
Men – Luke Slijpen, Max Elkington, Eli Beukes, Luke Thompson.
Women – Kai Woolf, Zoe Steyn.

Full results, images and news for the WSL JQS events can be found at www.worldsurfleague.com
Results and more for the other divisions are available at www.surfingsouthafrica,co.za

Press Release – Craig Jarvis – info@craigjarvis.co.za