Heavy surf no match for Kirra Pinkerton and Winter Vincent at Ballito Open QS2000

Kirra Pinkerton (USA) and Winter Vincent (AUS) conquered not only tough opponents but also powerful ocean conditions to claim the women’s and men’s Ballito Open QS2000 titles, presented by O’Neill, at Willard Beach in Ballito on Saturday, July 11.

Three South Africans flew the flag in the finals, with Sarah Baum contesting the women’s decider and Luke Thompson and Adin Masencamp reaching the men’s final.

The men’s final got off to a dramatic start before being put on hold just three minutes into the heat when Hawaiian surfer Finn McGill dislocated his shoulder after falling in the notoriously heavy end section, ending his title challenge.

With McGill out of contention, Masencamp took an early lead after posting an excellent 8.17. Winter Vincent responded by backing up his opening 6.83 with a 4.33 before adding a 7.50 to edge ahead of the South African. Masencamp answered with a 7.50, while Thompson battled to find the waves he needed to mount a serious challenge.

When the final siren sounded, Vincent, surfing the same board he rode during the Championship Tour (CT) event at Snapper Rocks earlier this year, claimed victory with a two-wave total of 14.33 (out of a possible 20). Masencamp finished runner-up on 14.00.

Vincent, who placed third in the 2024 Ballito Pro Challenger event, carries valuable momentum into the Ballito Pro, presented by O’Neill Challenger Series, which gets under way on Sunday.

Pinkerton peaks in powerful swell

The women’s final featured 2024 Ballito Open champion Bella Kenworthy (USA), Kirra Pinkerton (USA), Sophie McCulloch (AUS) and local favourite Sarah Baum, with all four surfers boasting Championship Tour (CT) experience.

The judges handsomely rewarded powerful turns and committed manoeuvres. Pinkerton wasted no time opening her account, earning 7.00 points for a critical single-turn ride to seize the early advantage. She backed it up with a 6.17 for a winning two-wave total of 13.17.

Pinkerton, who finished third in last year’s Ballito Open, went two places better this year to claim the title.

The battle for second and third was closely contested, but Kenworthy edged McCulloch with a heat total of 7.20 to 6.30.

Baum endured a frustrating final after dominating her quarter-final with an excellent 16.10. She struggled to find the right waves and could manage only 4.70 points in the decider.