Luke Thompson continues fine run of form to remain in Ballito Pro
The 18-year-old from Durban has also done enough to earn a Wildcard entry into next week's Championship Tour event, the Corona J-Bay Open.
And then there was one…
Luke Thompson (18) is the final South African left in this year’s Ballito Pro pres. by O’Neill.
The Durban surfer has grown from strength to strength this year, stringing some incredible results together.
His current momentum began last month when he took bronze in the Junior World Championships U18 competition in El Salvador.
He then claimed gold in the O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior in the U18 boy’s category, before grabbing bronze during the O’Neill SMTH Shapes Junior Pro QS1 000 last week.
Thompson went on to earn qualification for the main event with a silver in the Challenger Trials on Saturday, putting him on the podium of his previous four events.
Rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s best has only emboldened the youngster, who has delivered scintillating surfing in all three of his heats.
In the round of 96, he won his heat with a combined 12.04, ahead of seasoned Qualifying Series regulars Vasco Ribeiro (Portugal) and Jordan Lawler (Australia).
Photo: Pierre Tostee/WSL.
It also included South Africa’s greatest modern surfer, Jordy Smith, proving that Thompson feels right at home on the biggest stage.
He was pushed closer in the round of 48, finishing in second place with a 12.40 wave score behind Brazilian Matheus Herdy (12.70).
This outing included one of the Pro’s highest single wave scores, an 8.67 on his first of the day.
Although he had not surfed a heat in two days, Thompson continued his form this morning to win his heat in the round of 24.
His score of 12.84 is the highest that he has posted in a heat in this event and will no doubt be a confidence boost going into tomorrow’s round of 16 and further.
He comfortably outscored Frenchman Timothe Bisso in second (10.0) while knocking out the aforementioned Ribeiro.
This sets up a cracking round of 16 head-to-head with Indonesian Rio Waida, who won the preceding Challenger Series event in Sydney in May.
Another boost for Thompson is the news he received today that he has clinched a wildcard entry into next week’s Championship Tour event, the Corona J-Bay Open in Jeffrey’s Bay.
This comes as a result of his minimum tied 9th placed finish, earning him enough points to qualify.
The Championship Tour represents the truly elite, with only the world’s 24 best surfers gaining automatic qualification to events.
He will no doubt hope to continue his dream run with a good finish this weekend before preparing for the Jeffrey’s Bay challenge.
For the three other South Africans who remained in the competition until today, this morning was unfortunately less successful.
Women’s hopefuls Zoë Steyn and Sarah Baum were taken out in the same heat of the women’s round of 24, while Slade Prestwich lost out on the men’s side.
This leaves Thompson as not just the only South African, but the only African left in the draw, flying the flag of an entire continent.
He will be back in the water to take on Waida tomorrow, so be sure to head to Willard Beach to give him your support.
To follow heats and watch the live streamed action, visit worldsurfleague.com.
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