Juniors chasing the waves at O’Neill Pro

The highly anticipated inaugural O’Neill Rookie Rippers pres. by SMTH Shapes event will kick off the festival programme this week as the Ilembe Surf Riders junior team will be aiming for selection for the World Surf League (WSL) Africa squad that is invited to the annual World Junior Championship.

The 18-and-under competitors will face a stellar line-up at this year’s event starting on June 27 to 29 at Willard Beach, Ballito.

The Pro Junior event is a collaboration between O’Neill and former Junior champion and two-time Ballito Pro winner Jordy Smith who is always keen to support opportunities for the country’s junior surfers.

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The event will enable South Africa’s top 18-and-under men and women to compete against their international peers. Competitors earn prize-money and ranking points that count towards the prized annual WSL Africa Junior titles and the selection of the regional squad invited to the Junior Championship event in December.

The finals of the provincial schools surfing league will also take place during the week.

The Ilembe Surf riders team: U12 boys; Cooper Lee Smith, Clayton Robertse, U14 boys: Kai May, Kai Molyneaux, Julian Carbonel, Sebastian Garnett and Thor Knudsen.

U14 girls: Alexandra Fourie and Mayah Potgieter, U16 boys: David Edwards and Pro junior boys: Dominic Southwood and James Biljon.

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