Conner O'Leary (right) of Australia defeated Joan Duru (left) in the final of Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: WSL / Cestari.
You could not have scripted a better end to The Ballito Pro 2016, with stunning conditions, producing 1 – 1.5 metre wave, greeting the remaining eight surfers right from the start at Willard Beach.
The clean open wave faces provided the ideal canvas for Australian Connor O’leary to take the win with his critical backhand attack. It was a seesaw battle for the lead with O’leary and Frenchman Joan Duru going wave for wave in the 35 minute final.
Victory in the first World Surf League (WSL) QS 10,000 rated event of the year earned O’Leary US $40 000 (about R600 000) and his haul of 10 000 points saw the 22 year-old move up 13 places to No. 2 in the rankings.
Our spectacular 12 Day surfing and beach festival reached a grand finale today as Connor O'Leary was crowned champ pic.twitter.com/V66FuUs3GL
“It’s surreal. I feel like it hasn’t actually happened and it hasn’t hit me yet. I’m just over the moon,” said O’Leary.
“It’s one of my best results so far. To make the final I was beyond stoked and to take the win just tops it off. Joan’s surfing has been amazing recently and he’s one of my favorite surfers on the QS, so to have a final with him was amazing.”
Duru scored the highest single wave score for the event with a 9.9 in his semi-final clash against fellow countryman Jeremy Flores.
Joan Duru of France (pictured) is the runner-up at the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong after placing second to Conner O’Leary of Australia in the final on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: WSL / Cestari.
“That final was close and it was the guy that got the best waves that was going to win. I got one good one and then I lost priority,” said Duru.
“It’s one of best results in my career so far. Every year I get good results but never as good as this one, so I’m really happy with second place. You surf against some of the best guys in the world, so if you lose one heat it’s okay.”
The 6 500 points Flores collected for third place in his first QS event of the year resulted in him leapfrogging straight into 14th place on the rankings, underlining the value the Ballito Pro provides on the world stage.
O’leary won his tightly contested semi-final clash against the big Hawaiian Ezekiel Lau.
Ezekiel Lau of Hawaii (pictured) finished equal 5th the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong after placing second in his Quarter Final on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: WSL / Cestari.
The last remaining South African, Beyrick de Vries unfortunately lost out to eventual finalist Duru in his quarterfinal, but his fifth place finish saw his ranking jump from 98th to 12th, moving him into contention to qualify for the 2017 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour.
The Umhlanga local was all smiles at the end of the 11-day competition, as he took home two cheques – R20 000 for the Wave of the Week video award and R30 000 for the Zigzag Expression Session to cap one of the best weeks of his career.
He might not have made the finals, but Beyrick de Vries walked away with 50k after scooping the win for the Zigzag Surfing Magazine Wave of the Week and the Monster Energy S.A Expression Session.
Final Results
1. Connor O’Leary (AUS) 17.30
2. Joan Duru (FRA) 15.80
Semi-Final Results
Semi1. Joan Duru (FRA) 19.20 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 17.63
Semi2. Connor O’Leary (AUS) 16.74 def. Ezekiel Lau (AUS) 14.60
Quarter-Final Results
Quarter1. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.24 def. Krystian Kymerson (BRA) 13.17
Quarter2. Joan Duru (FRA) 18.67 def. Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) 16.34
Quarter3. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 15.83 def. Jack Freestone (AUS) 15.57
WSL Qualifying Series Rankings (After Ballito Pro)
1 Fioravanti,Leonardo ITA 17530
2 O’Leary,Connor AUS 14700
3 Duru,Joan FRA 13040
4 Silva,Deivid BRA 11530
5 Lau,Ezekiel HAW 10120
South Africans (Top 100)
12 De Vries,Beyrick ZAF 7130
48 Smith,Jordy ZAF 3700
53 February,Michael ZAF 3610
57 McGillivray,Matthew ZAF 3395
96 Lightfoot,Dylan ZAF 2345
Conner O’Leary of Australia (pictured) is the winner of the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong by defeating Joan Duru of France in the final on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: WSL / Cestari.
Ezekiel Lau of Hawaii (pictured) finished equal 5th the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong after placing second in his Quarter Final on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: WSL / Cestari.
Joan Duru of France (pictured) is the runner-up at the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong after placing second to Conner O’Leary of Australia in the final on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: WSL / Cestari.
Conner O’Leary of Australia (pictured) is the winner of the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong by defeating Joan Duru of France in the final on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: ? WSL / Cestari.
Joan Duru of France (pictured) is the runner-up at the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong after placing second to Conner O’Leary of Australia in the final on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: WSL / Cestari.
Krystian Kymerson of Brasil (pictured) finished equal 5th the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong after placing second in his Quarter Final on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: WSL / Cestari.
Beyrick de Vries of South Africa (pictured) finished equal 5th the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong after placing second in his Quarter Final on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: WSL / Cestari.
Conner O’Leary of Australia (pictured) is the winner of the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong by defeating Joan Duru of France in the final on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: WSL / Cestari.
Jack Freestone of Australia (pictured) finished equal 5th the Ballito Pro Presented by Billabong after placing second in his Quarter Final on Sunday July 3, 2016. PHOTO: WSL / Cestari.
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