The highly anticipated Ballito Pro got underway this morning with the Billabong Junior Series presented by All Aboard Travel at Willard Beach.

This is the third of four surfing events that will crown champions in seven age divisions for boys and girls for the 20th successive year, and heralds the start of the 13-day Ballito Pro Surf Festival.

The sun has risen on Day 1 of The Ballito Pro as we prepare to kick off with the #BillabongJNR in decent sized Ballito surf pic.twitter.com/FIESYTt4Tq

— The Ballito Pro (@TheBallitoPro) June 27, 2017

Scheduled for Tuesday to Thursday, June 27 to 29, the junior event features the cream of country’s surfers aged 18-and-under, along with a contingent of international competitors who have posted impressive results both in South African waters and in their home countries.

The JQS1,000 women’s event will provide an intriguing battle between defending Ballito champion Zoe McDougall (HAW), No. 3 ranked Australian junior Sophia Fulton and local stars Sophie Bell from Salt Rock, two-time JQS winner Kayla Nogueira (Umhlanga) and Kirsty McGillivray (Jeffreys Bay).

Jake Elkington (Kommetjie) heads the seeding for the JQS1,000 men’s event after a stellar 2017 season in which he has reached the final in five of six events, winning three.

But 2016 series champion and defending Ballito winner Adin Masencamp (Strand) will be determined to improve on his second place in the rankings at this event.

Both face tough challengers in the form of the Faulkner brothers – Joshe and Angelo – from Jeffreys Bay and Cody Young who is ranked No. 6 on the Hawaiian junior leaderboard after finals appearances at Pipeline and Sunset Beach.

Also read: Full Ballito Pro programme

In the U16 boys, Max Elkington (Kommetjie) has won six consecutive Billabong Junior Series titles but the likes of fellow Capetonians Eli Beukes and the rapidly improving Luke Slijpen along with Bryce du Preez (East London) and Dillen Hendricks (Jeffreys Bay) are hungry for victory.

Kayla Nogueira is the favourite for the U16 title after a phenomenal run of results this year while Zoe Steyn (Kalk Bay) and Nate Spalding (Durban) top the current U14 girls and boy’s rankings with Kyra Bennie (Durban) having won two out of two in the U12 boys.

The heat draws for U18 events can be found HERE with the provisional Event Schedule (subject to change) and the heat draws for all the other events available HERE.

The Billabong Junior Series is supported by All Aboard Travel, BOS, VonZipper and Zigzag.

The Ballito Pro Surf Festival runs from June 27 to July 9 and includes the Billabong Junior Series presented, the SSA Ballito Trials, the QS1,000 Ballito Women’s Pro and the QS10,000 Ballito Pro.

>>  Expect to find the latest trends in Health, Wellness and Beauty in Ballito.

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