The Mr Price Pro is to continue as the Ballito Pro, but no title sponsor has yet been found.
KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) will host the event from next year through to 2017, which is expected to remain a prime rated surfing event, in terms of the municipality’s existing contract with the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP).
The premier surf contest, which attracted a solid lineup of professional surfers, suffered a belly blow last week when title sponsors Mr Price withdrew their R3.5 million sponsorship.
The clothing group had sponsored the event in Ballito for the past five years.
KDM, which has in the past contributed R2.5 million to the event, and the ASP are now scrambling to find a new title sponsor or sponsors from either the private or public sectors.
“KDM is working closely with the office of the MEC for economic development, tourism and environmental affairs to identify and secure public sector partners for the event,” the municipality said this week in a press release.
“Most of the existing partners have shown interest in continuing with the event and also increasing their contribution to the event and new agreements are in the process of being considered. Negotiations with newly identified additional local businesses that have expressed interest in the event are ongoing. KDM and the ASP are working around the clock to secure a title sponsor for the event and will make an announcement when the new title sponsor has been confirmed.”
At this stage, the Ballito Pro event is expected to consist of the men’s prime surf competition, the music concerts, the lifestyle festival including beach recreational activities, extreme sports, retail and food entertainment as well as the prestigious Coastal Living Bru Ballito food and wine exhibition. It s expected that development surfing events will be added to the programme.
Last year the event, held in July, attracted more than 100 000 visitors to Ballito. Tourism South Africa rates it a top six sports tourism event, alongside events such as the Comrades marathon and the Duzi canoe marathon.
“KDM is making every effort to keep this event in Ballito because it values the tourism promotion and economic development it brings to the region and because events based tourism is one of the key drivers of tourism promotion and development in KZN,” the municipality said.
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