Ballito Pro moves to September but retains challenger series status

The Ballito Pro surf contest – the most significant annual festival for KwaDukuza – is set for September with full points status retained.

The cancellation last year of the longest-running professional surfing contest because of the coronavirus pandemic was the first since the event started in 1969.

Although the pandemic is not over yet, event organisers are confident that the flagship tournament will be allowed to continue this year.

“There is nothing confirmed as of yet, but we are tentatively planning for the event to be held from September 27 until October 2,” said event co-ordinator Collette Bundy.

This coincides with the September/October school holidays.

The event is largely dependent on international travel restrictions and the coronavirus situation both globally and in South Africa come September.

“We are subject to whatever restrictions may be in place at the time, which is why the event has been moved from July to September,” she said.

The event will retain full ‘challenger series’ status, which is one step below the championship tour, but brings a high level of competition for surfers hoping to qualify for the main tour.

The Ballito Pro is one of the 8 events globally which award 10 000 tour points to the winner alongside premier surfing destinations, Sydney, Piha, Huntington Beach, Pantin, Ericeira, Haleiwa and Sunset Beach.

Preserving the challenger status is crucial to the success of the event as it provides a huge drawcard for the world’s best surfers to descend on Ballito. 

This in turn brings large crowds and the Ballito Pro has consistently been one of the main tourist attractions for the North Coast.