BALLITO, KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal (8 July 2026) – South Africa’s rising surfing stars delivered standout performances at the World Surf League (WSL) O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior on Wednesday, with Louise Lepront and Simon Winter emerging as the new leaders of the WSL Africa Junior rankings, despite international competitors claiming the event titles.
Held in clean, glassy two-to-three-foot surf along the Dolphin Coast, the third stop of the WSL Africa Junior Qualifying Series showcased a high standard of competition, with Brazil’s Ryan Kainalo and Australia’s Charli Hately taking top honours in the men’s and women’s divisions respectively.
While the international visitors celebrated victory, South African surfers ensured there was be plenty to cheer about for the home crowd, with three local competitors finishing on the podium.
Lepront enjoyed a breakthrough performance, advancing to her first-ever Ballito Pro Junior final after a commanding semifinal display. The young South African looked poised to claim the title before Hately found a last-minute scoring wave to snatch victory after the final buzzer.
Despite finishing runner-up, Lepront’s result sees her move to the top of the WSL Africa Junior rankings, placing her in a strong position as the race for regional honours continues.
There was further South African success in the boys’ division, where Kieran Murphy secured an impressive third-place finish after reaching the semifinals, underlining the depth of the country’s junior talent. In the girls’ event, Emily Jenkinson also claimed a share of third place with a semifinal finish, adding another podium result for the home team.
South Africa also celebrated success in the men’s rankings, with Simon Winter moving into the No. 1 position following consistent performances across the opening three events of the season.
Brazil’s Kainalo claimed his third Ballito Pro Junior title, adding to victories in 2022 and 2023. In an exciting men’s final against Australia’s Dane Henry, Kainalo combined explosive aerial surfing with powerful rail work to post a winning two-wave total of 14.87 out of 20.
Henry, the reigning WSL World Junior Champion, produced one of the performances of the event in his semifinal, earning a near-perfect 9.83 for a spectacular aerial manoeuvre on his way to the highest heat total of the competition.
In the women’s final, Hately demonstrated excellent composure and wave selection throughout the contest. Needing a solid score in the closing moments, the 17-year-old Australian capitalised on priority to produce the decisive ride and edge past Lepront for the title.
For South African surfing, however, the event provided plenty of encouragement. Lepront’s career-best finish, Murphy and Jenkinson’s podium performances, and Winter’s rise to the top of the continental rankings highlight the strength of the country’s next generation as attention now turns to the Ballito Open and the Ballito Pro Challenger Series, where local surfers will have further opportunities to make their mark on home waves.
O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior Men’s Final Results:
1- Ryan Kainalo (BRA) 14.87
2- Dane Henry (AUS) 13.54
3- Kieran Murphy (RSA) 6.20
4- Rafael Barbosa (BRA) 5.93
O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior Women’s Final Results:
1- Charli Hately (AUS) 10.90
2- Louise Lepront (RSA) 9.83
3- Emily Jenkinson (RSA) 6.83
4- Laura Raupp (BRA) 6.36
O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior Men’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Dane Henry (AUS) 17.83 DEF. Rafael Barbosa (BRA) 9.37, Loghann Tilsley (RSA) 6.83, Clay Turrell (RSA) 5.17
HEAT 2: Ryan Kainalo (BRA) 10.50 DEF. Kieran Murphy (RSA) 8.73, Ben Esterhuyse (RSA) 8.46, Cooper Smith (RSA) 7.80
O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior Women’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Louise Lepront (RSA) 9.20 DEF. Laura Raupp (BRA) 6.80, Max Kauffman (RSA) 5.56, Gabriella Herbst (RSA) 4.86
HEAT 2: Charli Hately (AUS) 12.17 DEF. Emily Jenkinson (RSA) 7.07, Lila Aszalos (RSA) 4.17, Anastasia Venter (RSA) 3.54
O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior Men’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Rafael Barbosa (BRA) 12.50 DEF. Dane Henry (AUS) 10.27, Simon Winter (RSA) 4.33, Josh Malherbe (RSA) 2.43
HEAT 2: Clay Turrell (RSA) 9.40 DEF. Loghann Tilsley (RSA) 7.60, Dylan Wilcoxen (INA) 7.37, David Emslie (RSA) 5.74
HEAT 3: Ben Esterhuyse (RSA) 8.67 DEF. Cooper Smith (RSA) 7.54, Ntokozo Maphumulo (RSA) 7.03, Matt Canning (RSA) 1.50
HEAT 4: Ryan Kainalo (BRA) 11.33 DEF. Kieran Murphy (RSA) 6.57, Levi Epenetos (RSA) 6.43, Asbjorn Gwenin (GBR) 5.87