Ballito Pro co-sponsor signed

The Ballito Pro has found a new presenting sponsor in global surfwear brand Billabong, which will partner with the KwaDukuza municipality to keep this iconic event in Ballito in July.

The future of the event was in doubt when title sponsor Mr Price pulled out unexpectedly at the end of 2014, but Billabong has stepped in and the QS10 000-rated event on the World Surf League (WSL) qualifying series event will go ahead as planned from June 29 to July 5.

The event offers R3 million in prizes and 10 000 points in the world rankings, promising an exciting turnout of surfing’s elite performers.

There will be spaces for 96 entries, all trying to qualify for the premier WSL championship tour in 2015.

KwaDukuza mayor Ricardo Mthembu said he was delighted that Billabong had stepped in to co-sponsor the event.

“As the host and licence holder of the Ballito Pro event, we at KwaDukuza are very pleased to take the event forward together with the World Surf League and our new partners. The Ballito Pro International Surf Festival event is a key economic and tourism driver for our region, and together with the communities of KwaDukuza we look forward expediting yet another successful event come June 29.”

With more than a month to go until entries close, the entry list already includes a dozen championship tour surfers headed by current world No. 9, Jordy Smith, the 2010 event winner and 2013 runner-up, who is always excited to compete in his home surf, along with another 40 highly rated competitors from 15 countries.

WSL Africa Operations Manager, Colin Fitch said it was fantastic for South African surfing that they would be able to host the event in Ballito for the seventh year in a row.

“It’s 46 years since Port Elizabeth teenager Gavin Rudolph won the Gunston 500 back in 1969 and not many international sporting events in South Africa or around the world have run that long. Ballito has become a truly world class surfing destination and I’m excited to see some of the world’s best surfers put on a spectacular display of top-class surfing again this year.”

While the surfers ride the waves by day, spectators at the biggest beach festival on the African continent will once again be rocked by sound waves at night with free music concerts at Salt Rock on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, July 2 to 4.

The week-long festival includes daily doses of beach soccer and volleyball.

There will be regular stage performances by local dancers, singers and performers.

There will be motocross displays and a beach surf movie night.

A crowd favourite, the Coastal Living Bru Food and Wine Festival, returns to La Montagne which will play host to the artisan food market, a wine and coffee showcase and the popular cooking competitions.

Music lovers won’t be disappointed either with 5FM taking over the music reins, bringing some of South Africa’s most talented music acts to the stage with Crush Night Club afterparties continuing the celebrations late into the night.