Conditions started out clean and small early on for Day 3 of the 2015 Ballito Pro, with two-to-three foot sets rolling into the contest area at Bathers Beach. Before the onshore picked up, which put an early end to things, Round 2 was completed leaving only 24 surfers remaining from the 96.

Day 3 of the 2015 Ballito Pro dawned with small, clean surf.

Unfortunately the last surviving Saffa, Davey Van Zyl, did not manage to make it through his Round 2 heat but there’s still some world class surfing to go down, not to mention the Monster Energy Expression Session which will see ten of SA’s best battle it out for the R20K that’s up for grabs to the surfer who makes the biggest impression. With some better swell expected for the weekend, make sure to stay tuned for the next call which will be made at 7am on Friday morning.

For more info see the official Press Release below:

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MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION
Wednesday 1 July 2015

Event: Ballito Pro presented by Billabong
Status: Round 2 completed – Next call: Friday 7am SAST
Venue: Bather’s Beach, Ballito, KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal
Dates: June 29 – 5 July 2015

Last 24 Determined on Day 3 of Ballito Pro
Rodriques shines again as Brazilian Storm makes waves in South Africa

The 96-man field of the world’s best surfers in the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong was reduced to 24 when Round 2 of the QS 10,000 rated event was completed in one metre waves at the backup venue of Bather’s Beach in Ballito on Wednesday.

Once again it was Michael Rodrigues (BRA) that shone, delivering the day’s highest single ride score – 9.00 out of 10 – and the highest heat total – 17.40 out of 20 – by combining carving turns and high-flying above-the-lip manoeuvres that perfectly matched the criteria for high performance surfing.

Rodrigues was joined by six compatriots, the aptly named Brazilian Storm, in Round 3 with top seed and current World No. 8 Italo Ferreira, Alejo Muniz, and Heitor Alves also winning their respective Round of 48 encounters.

Ferreira produced a particularly impressive performance, upping his game to claim the second highest heat total of the day – 16.70 – and was happy with his showing.

“That heat was great and I got good lefts and I did some airs,” Ferreira said. “My board is amazing and I’m super confident for the next round. I hope to keep it going and my focus is to get a good result in the event.”

Marc Lacomare (FRA) produced a surprise when he and veteran Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) ended the chances of former elite Top 34 competitors Dion Atkinson and fellow Australian Yadin Nicol. The Frenchman earned the heat’s highest score, a 7.67, and then clinched the win with a 6.77.

“The conditions looked difficult so I knew I wouldn’t get many opportunities and I tried to wait for the right wave and not fall,” Lacomare said. “After a really slow start I got the scores I needed, it was kind of nerve racking but I’m stoked. This contest means a lot but I’m try to not think about it. I just take it heat by heat and will see at the end of the week where that takes me.”

Other Frenchmen to advance included Joan Duru (FRA), Maxime Huscenot (FRA) and Media Veminardi from the French province of Reunion Island, who all won their respective Round 2 encounters, with Veminardi posting an excellent 16.30 heat tally.

Mitch Crews, who spent a year on the Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour (CT), was today’s top performer among the strong Australian contingent in the world’s longest running professional surfing event. He earned a pair of scores in the excellent range (8.00 or more out of 10) to progress along with second placed compatriot Stu Kennedy.

“It was a really tough heat, everyone was ripping, so I was stoked to progress over all the boys,” Crews said. “I was thinking just catch waves because it was pretty slow as the tide changed and the heats before everyone was getting through with 4’s and 5’s. It’s a pretty important event and I love coming here and am in a good mindset.”

South Africa’s participation in the event ended when David van Zyl (ZAF) from Glenashley placed thrid in Heat 8 and exited in 25th pace overall, taking home US $1 900 (approx. R20 000) and 1 100 rankings points.

After studying the predicted wave and weather predictions for the remainder of the contest window, the organisers have called for a lay day on Thursday and will reconvene at 7.00am on Friday morning to make a call on when to restart the competition.

When action resumes, first up will be Alejo Muniz (BRA), Kanoa Igarashi (USA), the last mainland American in contention, and Keanu Asing (HAW) in a three-man clash where the top two advance to man-on-man encounters in the Round of 16.

The window period for the Ballito Pro runs until Sunday 5 July and all the action can be watched live while the contest is running at www.worldsurfleague.com and www.theballitopro.com

The competitors in the Ballito Pro are also be competing for valuable specialty prizes in the Monster Energy Expression Session presented by Zigzag and the Monster Energy Wave of the Week presented by Zigzag which will reward the respective winners with R20 000 and R25 000 each. See more details here.

While the surfers ride the waves, the Ballito Pro Festival is set to turn up the heat in KwaDukuza by offering the best in beach, music and extreme sports entertainment. Locals and holiday-makers will be spoilt for choice with the week-long festival featuring an
extreme sports programme, the Coastal Living Bru Food & Wine Festival and an exciting retail area while the Tropika Ballito Pro Music Concerts Powered by 5FM bring some of South Africa’s most talented music acts to the stage in Salt Rock.

The Ballito Pro presented by Billabong is proudly supported by the KwaDukuza Municipality, Billabong, 5FM, Monster Energy, Zigzag Surfing Magazine, World Surf League (WSL) and Surfing South Africa (SSA).

Ballito Pro Round 2 Results

H1: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 14.80, Billy Stairmand (NZL) 14.00, Matt Banting (AUS) 12.73, Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 11.76
H2: Medi Veminardi (REU) 16.40, Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 14.10, Marco Fernandez (BRA) 12.17, Griffin Colapinto (USA) 11.14
H3: Joan Duru (FRA) 15.00, Keanu Asing (HAW) 14.94, Tanner Hendrickson (HAW) 10.80, Tomas Fernandes (PRT) 10.74
H4: Brent Dorrington (AUS) 13.70, David do Carmo (BRA) 13.10, Tomas Hermes (BRA) 11.60, Noe Mar McGonagle (CRI) 11.23
H5: Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 15.33, Caio Ibelli (BRA) 15.16, Hiroto Arai (JPN) 11.40, Flavio Nakagima (BRA) 3.50
H6: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 15.50, Lau Ezekiel (HAW) 9.80, Perth Standlick (AUS) 9.66, Glenn Hall (IRL) 9.17
H7: Marc Lacomare (FRA) 14.44, Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 13.33, Dion Atkinson (AUS) 10.76, Yadin Nicol (AUS) 9.60
H8: Santiago Muniz (ARG) 14.34, Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 12.86, David Van Zyl (ZAF) 11.00, Kolohe Andino (USA) 10.80
H9: Mitch Crews (AUS) 16.20, Stu Kennedy (AUS) 15.87, Cooper Chapman (AUS) 12.67, Jose Ferreira (PRT) 8.60
H10: Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 17.40, Soli Bailey (AUS) 14.10, Alex Smith (HAW) 12.43, Nathan Hedge (AUS) 11.10
H11: Connor O’Leary (AUS) 14.37, Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.23, Lucas Silveira (BRA) 13.17, Michael Dunphy (USA) 12.40
H12: Davey Cathels (AUS) 15.00, Nathan Yeomans (USA) 14.53, Thomas Woods (AUS) 14.06, Heitor Alves (BRA) 5.97

ENDS

Mitch Crews (AUS) displaces buckets of water as he jams a full rail cutback on his way to winning his Round 2 heat and advancing to the last 24 in the Ballito Pro on Wednesday.
Photo: WSL / Ballito Pro / Cestari

About the World Surf League
The World Surf League (WSL) organizes the annual tour of professional surf competitions and broadcasts each event live at WorldSurfLeague.com where you can experience the athleticism, drama and adventure of competitive surfing — anywhere and anytime it’s on. The WSL sanctions and operates the following tours: the Junior Tour, Longboard Tour, the Qualifying Series (QS), the Big Wave Tour and the crown jewel of the sport, the WSL Championship Tour (CT) which determines the sport’s undisputed world champions. The organization is headquartered in Santa Monica, California with Commercial Offices in New York. The offices are supported by regional centres in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America and South America.

Surfing South Africa
The Ballito Pro, Ballito Women’s Pro and the Ballito Pro Trials, all presented by Billabong, are registered with Surfing South Africa, the governing body for the sport in South Africa and a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA).