World’s top surfers compete for the title today at Ballito Pro
The men's and women's semi-finals are soon to kick off, with the finals concluding early this afternoon.
It is finals day at the Ballito Pro pres. by O’Neill where two new champions will be crowned at Willard Beach.
Although there are no South Africans left in the competition following Luke Thompson’s elimination yesterday, the high level surfing on show still leaves plenty to cheer for.
Yesterday, the field was cut from 16 to four in the men’s competition, while the women’s was whittled down to eight.
From the round of 16 onwards, heats are head-to-head showdowns meaning instant knockout if you do not come out on top.
Photo: PIerre Tostee/WSL.
Durban’s Luke Thompson again delivered impressive surfing to post a combined score of 10.40 in the round of 16 against Rio Waida.
It was unfortunately not enough to best the in-form Indonesian surfer however, as Waida scored 12.93 to win the heat.
Waida made it through the quarterfinals too, as did Hawaiian Keanu Asing, Frenchman Gatien Delahaye and current Challenger Series leader, Italian Leonardo Fioravanti.
At around 9.45am this morning the semi-final pairings began with Waida vs Asing and Delahaye vs Fioravanti both set to deliver exciting competition.
Photo: Pierre Tostee/WSL.
Yesterday saw the women’s round of 16, while the quarterfinals have kicked off this morning’s surfing action.
The quarters have not disappointed, with tight margins and high wave scores posted in all four.
Australian Bronte Macaulay (11.67) took out Hawaiian Zoe McDougall (10.83) in the first heat of the day.
Another Australian, Macy Callaghan (14.33) edged American Alyssa Spencer (13.57) in the high scoring heat two, which included a mammoth single wave score of 8.83 from Callaghan.
Photo: Nicolette Tostee/WSL.
Ensuring a trio of Australians in the semi-finals, Molly Picklum posted a huge 15.67 to defeat one of the most in-form surfers in Ballito this year, Hawaiian Bettylou Sakura-Johnson (10.94).
The final heat of the quarterfinals saw American Caitlin Simmers (12.17) beat German Rachel Presti (8.33)
Following the men’s semi-finals, Macaulay will take on Callaghan, with Picklum competing against Simmers.
Who to look out for
In the men’s draw, Fioravanti and Waida are strong favourites in their heats as the current number one and two ranked surfers on the Challenger Tour – Delahaye is ranked 90th.
Asing has had previous Championship Tour experience however, having surfed full seasons in 2018, 2016 and 2015, and will no doubt draw on his experience and regained form to ensure a tight contest.
On the women’s side, Picklum is the favourite as the only current Championship Tour surfer, although both Callaghan and Macaulay have previously surfed full seasons.
Simmers is also in-form, having won the first Challenger Series event of the year and finishing fifth in the second, so the semi-finals are bound to be a close-fought affair.
Get down to Willard Beach to see the action live, or stream it for free on the World Surf League website.
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