Scottburgh surfer Louise Lepront breezes to victory
The teenager has been riding a wave of success this year.
The O’Neill SMTH Shapes Rookie Rippers delivered a classic day of surfing at Willard Beach in Ballito, with progression and power on display for the final heats of the three-day event last week.
The day began with a light offshore breeze and consistent three-to-four-foot waves pouring through for the semi-finals across all divisions.
By the time the final rolled in, the onshore was up, but there were still highly contestable conditions.
The U18 girls went into the finals hard and fast, racking up several quick waves and solid scores. The tide was high, and the onshore was gusty, so it wasn’t easy to find those high-scoring waves.
Scottburgh’s Louise Lepront went into the lead early on in the final and managed to hold on until the final siren.
“I’m happy to take the win, but I’m not too happy with my performance. Still, that’s something I can work on. I’m also looking forward to the next few contests in Ballito.”
In the U18 boys category, Kai Hall found a good opener and banked 5.33 for a right that ran down the beach and allowed for a few turns.
He soon solidified his lead with an 8.33, the highest score of the final, which secured his victory.
“I got a bit of momentum going and kept my eye on the conditions throughout the day, so I’m happy to take the win,” said Hall.
Leah Lepront followed in the footsteps of her older sister and took the U16 girls win from Emily Jenkinson, with Max Kauffman and Lila Aszalos in third and fourth positions, respectively.
Results are as follows:
U12 girls
1 Ella van der Made
2 Skyla Nadauld
3 Adrianna Canning
4 Lila Prinsloo
5 Billi Bo Baker
U12 boys
1 Jackson Myers
2 Ethan Schermbrucker
3 James Gunning
4 Logan Venter
U14 girls
1 Emma Schermbrucker
2 Wanyu Chen
3 Maya Malherbe
4 Coco Clark
U14 boys
1 Marcello Zedde
2 Jackson Myers
3 Johnjon Clark
4 Tyler Balfour
U16 girls
1 Leah Lepront
2 Emily Jenkinson
3 Max Kauffman
4 Lila Aszalos
U16 boys
1 Ben Esterhuyse
2 Jesse Moulang
3 Ashton Sangster
4 Levi Vosloo
U18 girls
1 Louise Lepront
2 Taylor Emslie
3 Emily Jenkinson
4 Catherine Jacob
U18 boys
1 Kai Hall
2 Josh Malherbe
3 Levi Epenetos
4 Rory Dace
Surfers are approaching the middle of the competitive season, and the pressure is greater than ever for those vying for points and prize money, as well as the possibility of being selected for a national squad.
The 2025 International Surfing Association (ISA) World Junior Surfing Championship is approaching. The event location and dates are yet to be announced, but anticipation is already building across the South African surfing community.
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