 DL © Aerial Media In a nail-biter final, Dylan Lightfoot from JBay won the U20 WSL Pro Junior Men’s event at the Billabong Junior Series Grand Finale, overtaking Adin Masencamp from Strand on the last wave of the heat. In what must be one of the closest heats in Billabong Junior Surfing history, Lightfoot ended up winning by a mere .05 of a point, the narrowest of margins, in the small but highly contestable 3-foot conditions. In the U20 WSL Pro Junior Women’s event, Nicole Pallet from Durban repeated her victory from the first event at Magnatubes, taking out Sophie Bell from Umdloti in the final. Nicole and Sophie had been the two stand-outs in their divisions throughout the event, and it was no surprise that they faced off in the Women’s pro final. Sophie placed second in this U20 final, but she did win her U16 Girls division in this event. James Ribbink was the stand-out in the U12 division, winning this event, as well as taking out the U12 Boys Series win, and Gabi Lailvaux did the same by winning the U14 Girls division in this event as well as wining the U14 Girls Series. Below are the full event results as well as the full series results, the specialty events results, and the announcement of the WSL squad for the World Junior Champs in 2016. "I'm very very happy that I won this event," said James Ribbink. "It was very hard in the beginning, and then I got the one good wave, but I couldn't hear the scores. After the heat everyone told me I had probably won, and then I went and stood on two urchins and now I can't get them out of my foot. I'm also very stoked to win the series."  Sebastian Williams © Thurtell "It has been a great two event series, and we're very proud of all the junior surfers and their performances," said Billabong South Africa Marketing Manager Chad D'Arcy. "The other great thing is that most of these surfers are going to stick around to compete in the Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS that will take place next week and weekend in JBay. After we have wrapped here we're going across to set up at the Lower Point for this very popular 5-day junior event." Final Event Results: U12 Boys 1. James Ribbink (Durban) 2. Mitch Du Preez (East London) 3. Daniel Emslie (East London) 4. Christian Venter (Melkbos) U14 Boys 1. Max Elkington (Kommetjie) 2. Luke Slijpen (Hout Bay) 3. Eli Beukes (Kommetjie) 4. York Van Jaarsveldt (Kommetjie) U14 Girls 1. Gabi Lailvaux (Westbrook) 2. Julia Ploughman (Cape Town) 3. Tayla De Coning (East London) 4. Kelly Medley (Port Elizabeth) U16 Girls 1. Sophie Bell (Umdloti) 2. Kirsty McGillivray (JBay) 3. Danica Stockigt (East London) 4. Taghiti Gericke (Wilderness) U16 Boys 1. Sebastian Williams (JBay) 2. Koby Oberholzer (Warner Beach) 3. Joshe Faulkner (JBay) 4. Luke Slijpen (Hout Bay) WSL Pro Junior U20 Women’s 1. Nicole Pallet (Durban) 2. Sophie Bell (Umdloti) WSL Pro Junior U20 Men’s 1. Dylan Lightfoot (JBay) 2. Adin Masencamp (Strand) Billabong Junior Series Presented By BOS 2015 Series Results: U12 Boys 1. James Ribbink 2. Nathan Spalding 3. Mitch Du Preez U14 Girls 1. Gabi Lailvaux 2. Julia Ploughman 3. Kelly Medley U14 Boys 1. Max Elkington 2. Luke Slijpen 3. Eli Beukes U16 Girls 1. Kirsty McGillivray 2. Danica Stockigt 3. Anna Jellema-Butler U16 Boys 1. Sebastian Williams 2. Ethan Fletcher 3. Ford van Jaarsveldt U20 Pro Junior Men’s 1. Dylan Lightfoot 2. Jordy Maree 3. Adin Masencamp U20 Pro Junior Women’s 1. Nicole Pallet 2. Gina Smith 3. Olivia Brand WSL Africa regional squad team for the World Junior Championships in 2016 - Men: Dylan Lightfoot, Shane Sykes, Adin Masencamp, Jordy Maree, Matt McGillivray, Bevan Willis Women: Nicole Pallet, Gina Smith The winner of each division in this event won a Nixon Rhythm Tide Watch valued at R1,500, while the Pro Junior U20 division winners won a Nixon Supertide Watch. The BOS Surfer of the contest was Luke Slijpen, winning R1000 and a BOS Hamper. The BOS Surfer Of The Series Award was won by Sebastian Williams, This prize, for the most consistent surfer of the series, was a R20k prize consisting of R10k cash, a custom made BOS Surfboard, BOS merchandise and a year’s supply of BOS Iced Tea The Zigzag Stepping Up Award of R2,000 was won by Adin Masencamp. The DaKine Highest Heat Score Award of a R5,000 DaKine Hamper, was won by Max Elkington for his heat total of 18.25 points. The Kinetic Racing Fins Best Carve Award was won by Bevan Willis, and he took home a Kinetic Racing Fin hamper valued at R3,000. The VonZipper Air Show was won by Aya Gericke for a very technical straight slob air, who won R2,000 and a VZ Product Hamper for his effort. Event co-sponsors include Nixon, VonZipper, DaKine, KR Fins, and Zigzag Magazine.  Adin Mesenkamp © Thurtell
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 The Billabong SA Junior Surfing Championship is set to take place at the Lower Point in Jeffreys Bay from 30 September to 4 October.
The time frame for this event – late September into early October – is historically a good time for surf in JBay, and The Lower Point is sure to deliver some great waves and top-class action The SA Champs is an intense team event, as well as a quest for the individual surfers’ personal honour and glory in being a South African Champion. This year will see the team event format changed from a Provincial Contest to a District Challenge. The competing teams this year will represent Cape Town, Cape Winelands, Eden, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, Ugu, eThekweni, uThungulu and the Development Academy team, with eThekweni the defending champs. Apart from the District Challenge, there will be a number of mini-events and specialty events: The Billabong Bad Billy’s Tag Team Paddle Battle. This is a 5-man inter-district tag team paddle battle, with the winning team getting R5K for their district. The BOS Highest Heat Score Award. This goes to the surfer who gets the highest heat score of the event. It’s open to all age divisions across all rounds of competition, with the winner getting a custom designed BOS surf board, signed by Twiggy Baker. The VonZipper Airshow. The best aerial in the airshow wins R2K plus a VZ Hamper. The DaKine Most Progressive Maneuver Award. This specialty event is open to all age divisions across all rounds of competition and is for the most radical maneuver of the event –The winner gets a R5K DaKine product hamper. Skull Candy are sponsoring the Stay Loud Team Spirit Award of R2,5K for the team with the best team spirit. The Zigzag Blowing Up Award. This award goes to the most impressive surfer of the event, who will win R2K cash and a Zigzag subscription. The Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS is proudly supported by DaKine, VonZipper, Skull Candy, Neff and Zigzag Surfing Magazine.  Three-time World Surf League (WSL) Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) has claimed the 2015 WSL Jeep Leader Jersey after squaring off against then-ratings’ leader Adriano de Souza (BRA) in a hotly-contested Final at the Hurley Pro at Trestles. On the women’s side, two-time WSL Women’s Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) bested South African Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) to take the Swatch Women’s Pro at Trestles, her third Championship Tour victory of the season, and take the ratings’ lead heading into Europe. The Hurley Pro and Swatch Women’s Pro, stops No. 8 and 7 respectively on the 2015 Samsung Galaxy World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), enjoyed classic California conditions during the opening days of the competition window, allowing the world’s best athletes to raise the bar on high-performance surfing. While conditions today were a departure from those enjoyed during the initial rounds, the performances of the WSL elite remained razor sharp and the competitive nerves steely. From the start of the Hurley Pro Final Fanning looked in rhythm and at ease. De Souza was left in need of two good scores to put himself back in the heat after Fanning posted a near-perfect 9.77 for a series of clean and powerful turns. The Brazilian battled back with some critical surfing of his own to escape the combination with a 9.07 and powered back to the lineup to hunt down the 8.38 he needed to topple Fanning. He couldn’t find the score however, and it was Fanning that claimed the win. The final scores were 17.44 (7.67 and 9.77) for Fanning to De Souza’s 16.44 (7.37 and 9.07). “This has been a great event for me,” Fanning said. “I came in early and we had amazing waves. I’ve had such a great support team here so I’ve been having a lot of fun. My mum’s been here too which has been really special.” “It’s been wild year for me,” said Fanning. “This wave and this event are all about performance. To walk away with this trophy is really special. I want to congratulate Adriano -- he surfed amazing and he always puts up a huge fight.” “Every heat has it’s challenges,” continued Fanning. “From the first heat, to Round 3 against Kolohe Andino and then Kelly, Ace Buchan and Gabriel. When you’re surfing on the Championship Tour you surf against the best in the world. A fourth world title won’t be easy, especially when I have to surf against people like Adriano.”  “It’s very special to make the Final with a legend like Mick Fanning,” said De Souza. “We had such a good battle out there. We were both fighting but outside the heat we are both friends. I’m really happy to be part of this Final and thanks so much to everyone for coming down. Big congratulations to Mick, he’s just so good. I tried to make a comeback with my last wave but it wasn’t to be. I’m still chasing my first world title and this result will definitely help.” On the women’s side the Swatch Women’s Pro Final saw Moore take on Buitendag. Each of the surfers opened big – Moore with an 8.00 and Buitendag with a 7.67. The South African delivered big, powerful turns in the pocket but, with nearly half the heat gone, did not have a backup score, leaving in Moore in first place. The middle of the heat saw an exciting exchange and the Hawaiian was rewarded with an 8.37 to advance her lead. She kept the pressure on until the heat’s end and claimed victory. Final scores were 16.37 for Moore (8.37 and 8.00) and 13.84 for Buitendag (7.67 and 6.17). “This is such a sweet win for me and I’m so, so stoked,” said Moore. “That was a really tough Final against Bianca and I’m just so happy to make it through. I love this wave -- it’s my happy place. It’s always so special for me to be here because I grew up competing at Lower Trestles. It’s just so awesome to come here on the women’s tour so big thanks to everyone for making that happen.” “That heat with Tyler in the Quarterfinals was really special and very emotional,” continued Moore. “I had a tough time at this event last year so to make it through that heat really meant a lot. Tyler surfs so amazing and she really pushes me to be my best. We’re really missing Steph Gilmore on tour this year and we can’t wait to see her back and healthy. Courtney Conlogue is surfing so well at the moment so it’s shaping up to be a really exciting end of the year.”  Buitendag has had a series of great results this season and remains at No. 4 on the Jeep Leaderboard after today’s runner-up finish, her third of the year.
“I’m blessed to be making Finals this year,” said Buitendag. “I’m making the most of the opportunities I have and it seems to be working out. I feel really comfortable on my backhand and I thought it was about time I started trying some new things. I’m taking it one day at a time and today was definitely a good day.” De Souza previously went head-to-head with event standout Filipe Toledo (BRA) in an all-Brazilian Semifinal. A passionate De Souza stamped his authority on the heat with an excellent 8.33 but Toledo closed the gap with an 8-point ride of his own. The pair each took a wave in the final seconds but Toledo didn’t get the score required and goes home in third place, moving up on place to No. 3 on the Jeep Leaderboard. “I think that was a really close heat,” said Toledo. “I knew Adriano would be a really tough guy to beat because he’s got a lot of confidence at the moment. I’m stoked with the result and now I’m focusing on France.” Fanning dispatched reigning WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) in the second Semifinal. Medina’s pair of 8-point rides couldn’t match Fanning’s impressive 18.17 heat total. Today’s result for Medina is his best ever at Lower Trestles and he moves up from 10th to 7th place on the Jeep Leaderboard. Buitendag got the better of Lakey Peterson (USA) in the opening Semifinal of the Swatch Women’s Pro with two mid-range scores. Peterson has been in impressive form throughout the contest and previously upset Courtney Conlogue (USA) in the Quarterfinals. Today’s third-place finish sees her solidify her Top 5 placing on the Jeep Leaderboard. “I can’t blame anyone but myself,” said Peterson. “I made a lot of mistakes at the start of the event I think. I got one good wave and was feeling confident but then it went really quiet. I’m really disappointed in myself and the situation but I’m trying to look at the positive.” Moore took out Dimity Stoyle (AUS) in the second Semifinal with a 14.27 heat total. This result turns around a disappointing year for Stoyle and today was her first Semifinal berth of the season and her second ever on the CT. She moves from 16th on the Jeep Leaderboard to 14th but the young Australian will need to find three more solid results at the remaining events in order to requalify for the 2016 CT. “I’m so thankful, I’ve had so many people helping me out,” said Stoyle. “I feel like I’ve finally had a chance to show what I can do. I’m a little bit disappointed in the last heat because I really want to get some good waves. I’ve been working hard over the last few months and I feel like it’s really starting to pay off now.” The WSL Heritage Series, which is designed to celebrate and honor the icons of the sport, ran the first ever Women’s Heat today with surfing legends and World Champions Lisa Andersen and Sofia Mulanovich in a historic battle. Both surfers put on a show but it was Andersen, four-time World Champion, that had the edge over 2004 World Champion, Mulanovich, with her classic style and won the heat 14.70 to 12.60. “The Swatch Women’s Pro finalists are amazing and what a great World Title race it’s shaping up to be,” Andersen said. “It’s wonderful to see all the women getting really competitive towards the back half of the year. They’re just so inspiring.” “You really need to pick your the right waves out there,” said Mulanovich. “Carissa and Bianca are really going wave for wave and it’s wonderful to watch.” Highlights from the Hurley Pro and Swatch Women’s Pro are available at WorldSurfLeauge.com and via the WSL mobile app. The next stop on the 2015 Samsung Galaxy WSL Women’s Championship Tour is the Cascais Women’s Pro, which gets underway on September 22. Hurley Pro Final Results: 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.44 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 16.44 Hurley Pro Semifinal Results: QF 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.46 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.27 QF 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.17 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 17.54 Hurley Pro Quarterfinal Results: QF 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 16.66 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 8.90 QF 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.67 def. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 8.83 QF 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.13 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 7.50 QF 4: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 11.34 def. Nat Young (USA) 9.44 Swatch Women’s Pro Final Results: 1: Carissa Moore (HAW) 16.37 2: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 13.84 Swatch Women’s Pro Semifinal Results: SF 1: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 13.27 def. Lakey Peterson (USA) 12.93 SF 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Dimity Stoyle (AUS) Women’s Heritage Series Heat: 1: Lisa Andersen 14.70 2: Sofia Mulanovich 12.60 2015 Men’s WSL Jeep Leaderboard Top 5 (after Hurley Pro): 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 44,700 pts 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 42,950 pts 3: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 38,400 pts 4: Owen Wright (AUS) 38,400 pts 5: Julian Wilson (AUS) 34,950 pts 2015 Women’s WSL Jeep Leaderboard Top 5 (after Swatch Women’s Pro): 1: Carissa Moore (HAW) 53,000 pts 2: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 48,600 pts 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 42,800 pts 4: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 40,750 pts 5: Lakey Peterson (USA) 39,000 pts  The Hurley ran through Rounds 4 and 5 today and 12 competitors fought for a place in the Quarterfinals. Filipe Toledo (BRA) was the first surfer to advance on after a thrilling all-Brazilian match-up in Round 4 against Miguel Pupo (BRA) and Italo Ferreira (BRA). The action-packed heat saw the three Brazilians put on a spectacular display, posting big scores in the 8-point range and above. It was fleet-footed Toledo who took the win by just 0.96 with the a heat-high 9.20. “We’re all really good friends but we’re also really passionate about our sport,” said Toledo. “I would have been really angry if I didn’t win that heat because I really want a good result at this event.” Pupo went on to face Joel Parkinson (AUS) in Round 5. The 2012 WSL Champion dominated the opening half of the heat to leave Pupo in need of two good scores. The young Brazilian was able to break the combination with an excellent 8.90 but couldn’t find a back-up score and is eliminated in 9th place. Parkinson moves through to the Quarterfinals where he will face Toledo. “Filipe and I are two really different types of surfers,” said Parkinson. “It will be a good showdown for everyone to watch. I feel like I’m getting stronger and I’m so inspired to surf at the moment.” Jeep Leaderboard No. 1 Adriano de Souza (BRA) also earned his place in the Quarterfinals after he won through his Round 4 heat against Parkinson and rookie Wiggolly Dantas (BRA). Wiggolly went on to defeat Ferreira in Round 5 and also advances on to the Quarterfinals. “It was a slow heat and it was lucky that I started fast and put some pressure on,” said De Souza. “It was my goal in this contest to make the Quarters so I’m really pleased to get through. I’m going to work hard to make sure I’m 100% for Finals Day.” A stacked match-up played out in Round 4 Heat 4 when Owen Wright (AUS), Kelly Slater (USA) and Gabriel Medina (BRA) went head-to-head fighting for the direct advance to the Quarterfinals. Medina, the reigning WSL Champion, took the win with a 16.90 heat total and just two waves surfed. “That was a good heat and it’s always fun to come up against Owen and Kelly,” Medina said. “Owen’s my favorite goofy and Kelly’s Kelly. I’m stoked to get the win and make it through to the Quarterfinals. I’m just really hungry to win an event.” 11-time world champion Slater took to the water for a second time today when he faced three-time WSL Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) in a huge Round 5 clash, each battling for a place in the Quarterfinals. Slater showed progression and took to the air while Fanning used his rail game to build the better heat total and take the advantage. The exciting duel saw both surfers take a wave in the final seconds with the six-time Trestles winner getting the better of the exchange. Despite this, Fanning’s solid scoreline sees him take the win and move through to the Quarterfinals where he will face Adrian Buchan (AUS). “Everytime you come up against Kelly it’s always going to be a huge heat,” Fanning said. “It was definitely tough so I’m stoked to make it through. Kelly’s a great champion and I’ve looked up to him my whole career -- he really brings out the best in me.” “Mick really had me in a situation so I had to fight hard,” said Slater. “It’s just been one of those events for me when all my heats have been slow and I haven’t finished my waves too well. I’m really going to think hard about whether or not to go to Europe now. This result really puts me out of the title race for this year so it would be good to have some time off.” Nat Young (USA) upset world No. 3 Owen Wright (AUS) in Round 5 today, sending him home in 9th place. Neither surfer caught a wave for the opening 22 minutes of the heat and it was Young that was first to post a score. A frustrated Wright waited until the three-minute mark before catching his first wave and didn’t have enough time to build his scoreline. “Me and Owen were being pretty stubborn and neither of us wanted to give up the inside position,” said Young. “Then I looked at my watch and saw we only had 8 minutes remaining so I thought I should have a go and at least get a small score.” “Nat and I are both competitors and neither of us wanted to give in,” said Wright. “It’s disappointing but that’s how things go. Nat got the better wave and I wish him luck for the rest of the competition.”  The WSL Heritage Series, which is designed to celebrate and honor the icons of the sport, ran an Expression Session today with surfing legends Shaun Tomson, Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew, Simon Anderson, Cheyne Horan and Michael Ho showcasing their skills at Lower Trestles. They were supported by legends Mark “MR” Richards, “PT” Townend and Ian Cairns on the broadcast. “Surfing Trestles with just a few guys out is exceptional and so much fun,” Ho said. “I think we were all trying to show each other up and we were definitely competitive.” The event will also see World Champions Lisa Andersen and Sofia Mulanovich match-up in a historic battle during the Swatch Women's Pro for the first event women’s Heritage Series Heat. The Hurley Pro and Swatch Women’s Pro Trestles event started on September 9 and could run through September 20, 2015. Fans can follow all the action LIVE via webcast on WorldSurfLeague.com and on the WSL mobile app. Hurley Pro Round 4 Results: Heat 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 17.93, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 16.97, Italo Ferreira (BRA) 16.17 Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.10, Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 13.00, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 12.86 Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 16.36, Mick Fanning (AUS) 14.44, Nat Young (USA) 14.37 Heat 4: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 16.90, Owen Wright (BRA) 16.40, Kelly Slater (USA) 8.37 Hurley Pro Round 5 Results: Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.57 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.73 Heat 2: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 16.37 def. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.67 Heat 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) 16.10 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 14.90 Heat 4: Nat Young (USA) 12.17 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 6.00 Hurley Pro Quarterfinal Match-Ups: QF 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Joel Parkinson (AUS) QF 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) QF 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Mick Fanning (AUS) QF 4: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Nat Young (USA) 
The U14 Boys division is a fiercely contested division with Angelo Faulkner the favourite for the series win. Max Elkington from Kommetjie has been on form recently and could easily surge into the lead spot, while Eli Beukes from Kommetjie has shown massive improvement of late and is also a dangerman in this division. Sebastian Williams from JBay has the lead spot in the U16 Boys division after winning the first event at Magnatubes, and he is ahead of Ford Van Jaarsveldt from Kommetjie and the talented Luke Malherbe from East London. The U20 Girls division is a close race between Nicolle Pallete from Durban and Olivia Brand also from Durban, while in the U20 Boys division local JBay Surfer Dylan Lightfoot, who placed second to American surfer Eithan Osborne in the first event, holds a comfortable lead in the series. "The last contest in a series is always exciting, and Seal Point always provides good waves for our event," said Billabong South Africa Marketing Manager Chad D'Arcy. "The Billabong Junior Series presented by BOS continues the junior surfing legacy that Billabong has grown in South Africa since 1997, and we will continue to nurture junior surfing going forward."  © Kody McGregor There are a number of specialty events at this contest with some amazing prizes:
The winners of each division will win a Nixon Rhythm Tide Watch valued at R1,500, while the series winner in the U20 Boys and U20 Girls divisions will win a Nixon Supertide Watch. The BOS Surfer of the Contest, for the most impressive surfer at the event, will win R1,000 and a BOS hamper The BOS Surfer Of The Series for the most consistent surfer of the series across all age divisions will win a R20k prize consisting of R10k cash, a custom made BOS surfboard, BOS merchandise and a year's supply of BOS Ice Tea. The Zigzag Stepping Up Award of R2,000 is for the surfer who makes it furthest outside of his or her age division. The DaKine Highest Heat Score is for the highest heat score of the event, and the winner will receive a DaKine Hamper valued at R5,000. The Kinetic Racing Fins Best Carve award for the best carve of the event is a Kinetic Racing Fin hamper valued at R3,000. There is also a VonZipper Air Show and the winner will receive R2,000 and a VZ product hamper for the best air. -- Event co-sponsors include Nixon, VonZipper, DaKine, KR Fins, and Zigzag Magazine. The tournament has both Pro Surf Tour (PST) and World Surf League (WSL) Pro Junior rated events, with valuable points and prize money up for grabs. The Billabong Junior Series presented by BOS is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa. Surfing South Africa is a member of the South African Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and is recognised by the Dept. Of Sport and Recreation as the national governing body for surfing.  Action at the Hurley Pro and Swatch Women’s Pro, stops No. 8 and 7 respectively on the Samsung Galaxy World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), continued today. Competition ran through the final heat of Women’s Round 1, followed by Women’s 2 and the opening 10 heats of Men’s Round 2 in excellent surf at Lower Trestles. Wildcard Ian Crane (USA) and world No. 4 Filipe Toledo (BRA) put on a thrilling display in the opening heat of the men’s competition. The pair opened with 7-point rides and followed up with two excellent scores – a 9.10 for Crane and an 8.00 for Toledo. After sitting in second place for much of the heat, the Brazilian delivered a huge aerial maneuver in the final minutes to turn the heat and secure the win. Crane was eliminated in equal 25th place. “I was kind of nervous at the beginning of the heat and fell on a few waves,” said Toledo. “Ian opened up really strong so there was definitely some pressure. Winning on the last wave is definitely the Brazilian style and that’s how I like it. I keep believing until I hear the horn and never give up.” Reigning WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) matched-up against wildcard Tomas Hermes (BRA) in Heat 3. Medina dominated the bout ending with a 17.50 heat total to leave Hermes in a combination situation and storm through to Round 3. “Trestles is such a fun wave I have to work to control myself,” Medina said. “The support I get here is great -- plus having my family on site -- so I’m feeling fantastic.”  An impressive backhand display from Nat Young (USA) netted him a 16.60 heat total and a place in Round 3. Young looked confident and in control and was rewarded with an excellent 9.43. Wildcard and former CT surfer Aritz Aranburu (ESP) couldn’t catch Young and is eliminated from the competition. “This year I just want to take it event by event rather than focus on where I finish,” Young said. “I’m coming off a bad result in Tahiti so I just want to surf my best here and see where that takes me.” Another form goofy-footer, Wiggolly Dantas (BRA), used power surfing and impeccable timing to defeat Brett Simpson (USA). The Brazilian rookie posted an excellent score of 9.23 on his opening ride and backed it up with a 7.50 to secure his place in the next round and eliminate Simpson. “I’ve been struggling on the QS for seven years,” Dantas said. “Every year I get more support and build more confidence. This year being on the CT has been really amazing and I’ve learned so much in the process.” Glenn Hall (IRL) caused the upset of the day in Heat 7 by eliminating event favorite John John Florence (HAW). A 7.47 from Hall in the final minutes left Florence needing a 7.15 as the clock ran down. Last year’s Hurley Pro runner-up Florence wasn’t able to deliver and is eliminated in equal 25th place, his worst result of the year. “It was a really slow heat, which played in my favor," said Hall. "I’m really pleased to get through and look forward to unleashing in the upcoming Rounds.” Despite carrying a neck injury from a freesurf during Tahiti, 2012 World Champion Joel Parkinson (AUS) wowed the crowd with the highest single-wave score of the day, a 9.57, putting the pressure on opponent C.J. Hobgood (USA). The Australian quickly backed this up with another excellent 9.17 for a series of rail turns punctuated with an air reverse for an unbeatable 18.74 heat total. Parkinson moves on to Round 3 while Hobgood leaves in equal 25th place. “My neck’s been sore but it’s getting better every day and going right it seems to be fine,” said Parkinson. “I haven’t been having a great year and I’m glad I could finally drop some good scores and get the results. C.J. is an inspiration to me and he’s a true champion.” The Hurley Pro and Swatch Women’s Pro Trestles event started on September 9 and could run through September 20, 2015. Fans can follow all the action LIVE via webcast on WorldSurfLeague.com and on the WSL mobile app.  Hurley Pro Round 2 Results: Heat 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 16.50 def. Ian Crane (USA) 16.43 Heat 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.50 def. Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) 12.77 Heat 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 17.50 def. Tomas Hermes (BRA) 9.60 Heat 4: Nat Young (USA) 16.60 def. Artiz Aranburu (ESP) 13.66 Heat 5: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 16.73 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 12.60 Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.27 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 10.00 Heat 7: Glenn Hall (IRL) 13.64 def. John John Florence (HAW) 9.90 Heat 8: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 15.60 def. Ricardo Christie (NZL) 14.83 Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.74 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.73 Heat 10: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 17.20 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.43 Upcoming Hurley Pro Round 2 Match-Ups: Heat 11: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF) Heat 12: Keanu Asing (HAW) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)   The Hurley Pro and Swatch Women’s Pro, stops No. 8 and 7 respectively on the Samsung Galaxy World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), got off to an exciting start today in excellent conditions. Competition ran through Round 1 of the men’s event followed by Heats 1 - 5 of the women’s and saw the world’s best take advantage of the perfect surf on offer at Lower Trestles. Freddy Patacchia (HAW) posted the first Perfect 10 of the Hurley Pro in Round 1 today after lighting up Lower Trestles. The 2009 event winner left the water before the heat’s end with an 18.90 heat total, the highest of the day, to cheers from surfers and fans. Patacchia went on to announce that he is taking a competitive sabbatical from the CT for the remainder of the season after 11 years on tour. Despite big scores from reigning WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) and tour veteran Bede Durbidge (AUS) they couldn’t top Patacchia and will surf again in elimination Round 2. The surfer that draws Patacchia in Round 3 will advance directly to Round 4. “I knew the day would come when I would have to walk away from professional surfing,” said Patacchia. “While this isn’t the end of my surfing career, it’s probably the last time that I’ll compete on the big stage on the Championship Tour. However, I look forward to competing in some Qualifying Series events. I just need to take a step back and cool down. It’s tough to walk away from everyone that has become my family but I’ve lived my dream, and I want to thank everyone who’s played a part in helping me do what I love.” Jeep ratings leader Adriano de Souza (BRA) battled Michel Bourez (PYF) and wildcard Ian Crane (USA) for a place in Round 3. Scores of 7.67 and a 6.70 were enough the secure the win for De Souza. “Trestles is extremely important for me, and I did my best to prepare myself for the challenge” De Souza said. “I”m happy to win my first heat but it’s only the first step.” Three-time WSL Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) took to the water in Heat 5 of Round 1. The current world No. 2 matched-up against compatriot Adam Melling (AUS) and wildcard Hiroto Ohhara (JPN), the first ever Japanese surfer to win a WSL Qualifying Series (QS) event. Fanning stormed to victory with two excellent scores, earning a direct advance to Round 3. “I’ve been preparing here since Friday and it’s been really fun but it also tests your overall fitness,” said Fanning. “It’s an incredibly high-performance wave so you really feel your arms and legs burning.” 11-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater (USA) sailed through the opening round of competition, defeating Dusty Payne (HAW) and Jadson Andre (BRA). Slater, who is currently in 6th place on the Jeep Leaderboard, is a six-time winner at Lower Trestles and today’s victory sends him directly to Round 3, bypassing elimination Round 2. “I think I’ve found a fresh perspective going into the back half of the season,” Slater said. “Even though I’m trailing so far behind at the moment, I believe I’ve still got a shot at the title. I need a good result here so I have to go out there and relax, and not worry.” Jeremy Flores (FRA), fresh from his win in Tahiti, managed to carry the momentum through to Day 1 of the Hurley Pro. Explosive turns, style and variety, earned him the win over Joel Parkinson (AUS) and Glenn Hall (IRL). “Surfing without the helmet feels so much better,” said Flores, who had previously worn a helmet while surfing due to a recent head injury. “I’m just so happy to be back here and to get a win in the first Round, which is always great. It’s pretty fun out there but it’s very tiring because you really put all your energy into every turn.” Round 1 Heat 8 saw a thrilling battle unfold between Kolohe Andino (USA), Josh Kerr (AUS) and Matt Wilkinson (AUS). The trio exchanged solid scores but it was Andino, the San Clemente local, who ultimately prevailed after demonstrating tremendous variety with power turns and aerial maneuvers. “The waves were incredible out there,” Andino said. “I just tried to remember that I surf here every day and to relax -- it feels great to get the win in front of my hometown crowd.” Italo Ferreira (BRA), the highest ranked rookie on tour, continued his excellent run of form with a strong performance in Round 1 where he took on Hawaiian phenom John John Florence (HAW) and fellow rookie Ricardo Christie (NZL). After a low-scoring start, Ferreira put together a 15.90 heat total for the win. “I’m so stoked to make my first heat at this event and really enjoying being here,” said Ferreira. "Competing with John John made me raise my game because he’s amazing.”  Following the conclusion of Round 1 of the Hurley Pro, the world’s best female surfers lit up Lower Trestles for Heats 1 to 5 of the opening Round of the Swatch Women’s Pro.
First up was Lakey Peterson (USA) who put on an impressive performance, including a near-perfect 9.37, to dominate her heat and breeze through to Round 3. The high-scoring bout saw Hawaiians Malia Manuel (HAW) and Alessa Quizon (HAW) each deliver solid heat totals of their own but they couldn’t eclipse the Californian. "That was on of the best heats in terms of surf that I think I've ever had," said Peterson. "It's great to be at Lowers -- I want to do really well here so I was a little nervous." Rookie Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) faced Dimity Stoyle (AUS) and Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) in Heat 2 of Round 1. Stoyle held the lead through the opening half of the heat but Weston-Webb came back and built a 15.00 heat total to win her first CT heat at Lower Trestles. “I feel really confident on my backhand here so I focused on the rights, and I think that made all the difference,” said Weston-Webb. “It’s so wonderful that the women get to compete here so big thanks to the WSL and Swatch for making it happen.” Courtney Conlogue (USA), current No. 1 on the Jeep Leaderboard, stamped her authority on Heat 3, opening with an excellent 8.17 against Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) and wildcard Bethany Hamilton (HAW). Conlogue continued to unleash her power surfing to claim back-to-back 8-point rides and close the bout with an impressive 9.17. “It’s amazing to be here and I can’t believe the swell that we’ve got at this event,” said Conlogue. “Wearing the Jeep Leader Jersey is amazing, but there are still four events and Carissa is right behind me, so I have to focus on my game plan.” 13-year-old injury wildcard Caroline Marks (USA) matched-up against two-time WSL Champion and current world No. 2 Carissa Moore (HAW) and Silvana Lima (BRA) in Round 1 Heat 4. Marks, who received a last-minute place in the Swatch Women’s Pro after defending event winner and reigning six-time WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) withdrew from the competition due to injury, made her CT debut today. Moore looked confident and remained dominant throughout the heat. Her 18.36 heat total, the highest of the women's competition, sends her through to Round 3 while Marks and Lima will surf again in Round 2. “I’m trying to focus on myself rather than focus on the points or the title race,” said Moore. "I grew up surfing competitions here so it’s a really special place for me.” The final heat of the day saw Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Sage Erickson (USA) and Coco Ho (HAW) battle it out. The bout came down to the wire and, after several lead changes, Fitzgibbons claimed victory with a heat-high 8.27 in the final seconds. “It’s shaping up to be a really exciting title race with quite a few of us in contention," said Fitzgibbons. "Having been on tour for a number of years now I’m really enjoying those battles and they really get me inspired to perform at my best.” The Hurley Pro and Swatch Women’s Pro Trestles holds a competitive window of September 9 through 20, 2015 and fans can follow all the action LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and on the WSL mobile app. Fans around the world can also follow the broadcast LIVE on Fox Sports in Australia, MCS Extreme in France, EDGE Sports in China, South Korea, Malaysia and other territories and on Globo TV in Brazil. Hurley Pro Round 1 Results: Heat 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 14.63, Dusty Payne (HAW) 13.44, Jadson Andre (BRA) 12.67 Heat 2: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.00, Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.93, Brett Simpson (USA) 12.77 Heat 3: Julian Wilson (AUS) 15.60, Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 10.87, Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 8.00 Heat 4: Owen Wright (AUS) 16.00, Keanu Asing (HAW) 14.74, Tomas Hermes (BRA) 14.00 Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.30, Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) 14.46, Adam Melling (AUS) 10.67 Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.37, Michel Bourez (PYF) 13.63, Ian Crane (USA) 12.74 Heat 7: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 14.27, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 12.96, Glenn Hall (IRL) 11.33 Heat 8: Kolohe Andino (USA) 15.87, Josh Kerr (AUS) 14.80, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.04 Heat 9: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 15.90, John John Florence (HAW) 12.20, Ricardo Christie (NZL) 11.66 Heat 10: Fredrick Patacchia Jr. (HAW) 18.90, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 17.50, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 16.20 Heat 11: Kai Otton (AUS) 16.10, Nat Young (USA) 15.50, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 12.70 Heat 12: Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.94, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 16.43, Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 14.73 Hurley Pro Round 2 Match-Ups: Heat 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Ian Crane (USA) Heat 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) Heat 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Tomas Hermes (BRA) Heat 4: Nat Young (USA) vs. Artiz Aranburu (ESP) Heat 5: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) vs. Brett Simpson (USA) Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW) Heat 7: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Glenn Hall (IRL) Heat 8: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Ricardo Christie (NZL) Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA) Heat 10: Jadson Andre (BRA) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA) Heat 11: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF) Heat 12: Keanu Asing (HAW) vs. Adam Melling (AUS) Swatch Women’s Pro Round 1 Results: Heat 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) 17.20, Malia Manuel (HAW) 16.83, Alessa Quizon (HAW) 15.33 Heat 2: Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) 15.00, Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 13.90, Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 13.60 Heat 3: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 17.34, Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 11.67, Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 7.17 Heat 4: Carissa Moore (HAW) 18.36, Silvana Lima (BRA) 12.96, Caroline Marks (USA) 11.77 Heat 5: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.67, Coco Ho (HAW) 14.60, Sage Erickson (USA) 14.36 Upcoming Swatch Women’s Pro Round 1 Match-Ups: Heat 6: Johanne Defay (FRA), Tyler Wright (AUS), Laura Enever (AUS)  The NMBS Executive would like to congratulate the following Junior Surfers who will be representing NMBS at the Billabong SA Junior Championships to be held in Jeffreys Bay later this month.
u13 Girls Kelly Fenton Tanith Moreton u13 Boys Dillen Hendricks Kye McGregor Joshua Daniel u15 Girls Kirsty McGillivray Zoe Smith Kelly Medley U15 Boys Sebastian Williams Angelo Faulkner Arnold Vermaak Ryan Lightfoot Jannik Bouwer U17 Girls Kia Fenton Lauren Wotherspoon Crystal Hulett U17 Boys Joshe Faulkner Alex van Rijswijck Rewaldo Abersalie Tristan Lev Jono Coffey Managers Annie van der Merwe Willem van Rijswijck Coaches Graham Hynes Etienne Venter  The perfect right-hand waves of Lower Point, Jeffreys Bay will be the contest arena for the upcoming Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS. Deemed a prime location for a number of reasons, including the picturesque setting and the high-performance right-handers that peel down the point, Lower Point is set to pit surfing districts against one another as the best juniors in the country battle it out for team, as well as individual honours.
This will be the first year that the format has changed from an inter provincial to an inter district contest. The competing teams this year will represent Cape Town, Cape Winelands, Eden, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, Ugu, eThekweni, uThungulu and the Development Academy team, with eThekweni the defending champs. The SA Junior Champs is a Surfing South Africa tournament, with Billabong and BOS the proud event sponsors. Surfing South Africa General Manager Robin de Kock commented on the upcoming event. "The South African Junior Championships has been a premier event on the annual Surfing South Africa calendar since it was first held in 1996," said De Kock. "The popular tournament is the biggest contest to take place each year in terms of number of team and participants. It decides six individual national champions as well as the Team title and Surfing South Africa is stoked that Billabong have stepped up as sponsors of the event. The fact that it will take place at Lower Point in Jeffreys Bay for the third year in a row is pretty special as well. While the surfers will be battling it out for District and Individual titles, there are a few other major incentives in this contest. The winners of the U17 Boys and Girls divisions, as well as the U15 Boys and Girls divisions, will find themselves awarded National Colours and included in the 2016 South African Junior Team." Early October is a great time for good surf on the East Coast, and Lower Point in Jeffreys Bay has produced excellent surf consistently during this period over the years. The expectations are high for the junior surfers to be able to perform to their best on what is a perfect contest-surfing canvas on the long and winding walls of Lower Point, Jeffreys Bay. “We’re looking forward to this event, our first SA Junior Champs contest,” said Billabong South Africa Marketing Manager Chad D’Arcy. “We’ve always been focused on nurturing our junior surfers in the country and affording them the experience and skills to enhance their surfing careers,whether it be professional surfers, within the surf industry, or surf media and administration. The SA Junior Champs also dovetails perfectly with our Billabong Junior Series that we have been running to much success in the country since 1997.” The Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS is proudly supported by DaKine, VonZipper, Skull Candy, Neff and Zigzag Surfing Magazine. Surfing South Africa is the recognised governing body for surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA) |
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