2006 Billabong Junior Series

Five event national surfing series
St Mikes, Durban, Cape Town, Victoria Bay & Jeffreys Bay
February – August 2006

Durban Fact Sheet

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 28 March, 2006 : - - WHAT:  The second of five events on the 2006 Billabong Junior Series, which celebrates its tenth anniversary as the country’s premier series of surfing events for competitors in age divisions ranging from U/12 to U/20 for boys and U/20 for girls. 

WHEN:  Thursday to Sunday, March 30 – April 2, 2006

WHERE: The New Pier on Dairy Beach, Durban, a predominantly right breaking, sand bottom beach break that is acknowledged as the best surf spot on the Durban beachfront.

WHO:  Jordy Smith, winner of the first Pro Junior boys’ event of the 2006 series at St Mikes, is competing in Australia this week. Reigning series champ Brandon Jackson retains the top seeding with KZN’s Josch Schmeltzer (Westville) and Rory Beach (Queensburgh) replaced by Adam Hansen and Wesley Grey in the top eight. Damien Fahrenfort, the St Mikes runner-up, and SA national team member Klee Strachan are the wildcards in the 71 strong entry.

Pro Junior Boys Seeds
1.  Brandon Jackson            Durban North
2.  Keegan Nel                      East London
3.  Brandon Roberts             Sun Valley, CT
4.  Dave Richards                 Kommetjie, CT 
5.  Rudy Palmboom               Bluff, KZN
6.  Josh Redman                   Durban
7.  Adam Hansen                  Kommetjie, CT         
8.  Wesley Grey                    Kommetjie, CT 

Wildcards:
1.  Damien Fahrenfort           Kommetjie, CT
2.  Klee Strachan                  Amanzimtoti, KZN 

In the Pro Junior girls, ASP Africa champ Rosanne Hodge and reigning Billabong Junior Series champ Tammy-Lee Smith return from campaigning on the ASP world tour (they are currently ranked 12th and 10th on the World Qualifying Series (WQS)) to take their places amongst the top seeds in the record breaking 37 girl field. 

Pro Junior Girls Seeds
1.  Rosanne Hodge               East London
2.  Tarryn Chudleigh             Scarborough, CT
3.  Tammy-Lee Smith            Salt Rock, KZN
4.  Nikita Robb                       East London 

Chad du Toit retains his top seeding in the U16 boys division but last year’s U14 stars Dale Staples, Matt Bromley and Brendon Gibbens move into the top four after reaching the final at St Mikes. There are 31 entries in the U16’s 

U16 Boys Seeds
1.  Chad Du Toit                    Berea, Durban
2.  Dale Staples                    St Francis Bay
3.  Matthew Bromley            Kommetjie, CT
4.  Brendon Gibbens            Kommetjie, CT 

St Mikes U14 winner Tyde Gatcke is fortunate to receive the top seeding for Durban despite submitting a late entry for this event. He replaces Beyrick de Vries who drops to second with last year’s U12 series runner-up Michael February moving straight into the top four. 23 have entered the U14 division 

U14 Boys Seeds
1.  Tyde Gatcke                     East London
2.  Beyrick De Vries              Umhlanga Rocks
3.  Devin Lane                       Umhlanga Rocks
4.  Michael February             Kommetjie, CT 

Max Armstrong heads the U12 seeds following his victory at St Mikes where he also earned the Zigzag Performance award for ‘blowing up’ during the event. The Durban event features 11 in the U12 division  

U12 Boys Seeds
1.  Max Armstrong                Kommetjie, CT
2.  Josh Smit                         Athlone Park, KZN
3.  Michael Venter                 Warner Beach, KZN
4.  Jarred Veldhuis                Sun Valley, CT 

FORMAT:  All heats consist of four surfers with the top two in each heat advancing to the next round until four remain to contest the final in each division, except the premier Pro Junior (U20) boys’ category where the last four compete in two man-on-man semifinals and a man-on-man final. 

The finals in all divisions will be staged on Sunday April 2 

Each event also features a Von Zipper Air Show on the Sunday, enabling the region’s top performers to demonstrate their skills in this innovative form of surfing. Competitors are judged on the manoeuvres they perform in the air after launching (boosting or punting) off the wave instead of for traditional surfing manoeuvres performed on the face of the wave. 

STATUS:  The U20 boys and U20 girls divisions are sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Africa office with the points earned at each event also counting towards the respective annual Pro Surf Tour (PST) Pro Junior titles  

The best four accumulated results from the five events determine the series champions in each division as well as the four Pro Junior boys and top Pro Junior girl who are invited to compete in the annual Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in Australia in January. Surfing South Africa (SSA), the national controlling body for surfing, sanctions the balance of the age categories. 

PRIZE-MONEY:  There is a total of more than R30 000 in prize-money on offer at each of the five events in the series. This is shared by the top 8 finishers in the U/20 boys and U20 girls along with the top four in each of the other three divisions.

There is an additional R35 000 in prize-pool payouts shared by the top three finishers in each division at the end of the series. Half this amount is generously provided by First National Bank who take the opportunity to enhance the juniors’ awareness of banking facilities by placing their winnings in six-month fixed deposit accounts.

FNB also cover the travel costs of the four boys and the girl who earn invitations to the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in Australia annually.

The Von Zipper Air Show offers an R1 800 winner-takes-all purse at each event for the best successfully completed aerial manoeuvre 

The Best Kustomised Manoeuvre rewards the most innovative manoeuvre during each event by a local boy and girl with R500 each and a pair of Kustom shoes. 

The Zigzag Performance Award, comprising R1 000 and a replica hand grenade trophy, is awarded to the surfer who ‘blows up’ through an outstanding performance during each event 

SPONSORS: Billabong South Africa, the manufacturers and distributors of Billabong apparel and accessories, sponsor the series.  

The 2006 Billabong Junior Series is proudly supported by First National Bank, Von Zipper eyewear, Kustom Purpose Built Footwear, Red Bull, Mentos, Zigzag and Saltwater Girl surf magazines and the Designer Group’s range of Drench hair-care products. 

PRODUCTION: The second event in the 2006 Billabong Junior Series is produced by Billabong SA. Laureen Payne is the executive producer and Cyril Nel from East London is the contest director. The 26 minute television documentary on each event, with multiple broadcasts on SuperSport, is produced by Pieter & Debbie Cilliers of Blackfoot Productions 

MEDIA:  Media liaison by Life’s a Beach Communications. Paul Botha is the communications manager for the series

For further information on the series and a host of other interesting aspects of South African surfing visit www.billabong.com/africa where entry forms can be found for the events and top performers are profiled.

More African Surfing News available here
Check the latest Africa Surf Reports and Forcasts

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Billabong South Africa
laureen@billabong.co.za

Life's a Beach Communications
lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

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