Fahrenfort takes the Billabong Junior Series in Durban..
Damien Fahrenfort : photo Jeanie Castle/Billabong SA
2006 Billabong Junior Series
ASP Pro Junior Event New Pier, Dairy Beach, Durban 30 March - 2 April 2006
Damien Fahrenfort triumphs in Billabong Junior Series in Durban
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 2 April, 2006 : - - Damien Fahrenfort moved to the top of the premier Pro Junior rankings in the 2006 Billabong Junior Series when he defeated Keegan Nel (East London) in the final held in good one to 1.5 metre (3-5 foot) waves at the second of five events at New Pier in Durban on Sunday.
Using a patient strategy to select the best waves and a full repertoire of rail to rail carves and vertical lip bashes, the 19 year-old pro surfer opened his account with an excellent 8.25 point ride in the first five minutes of the 20 minute final. Despite seeing Nel take the lead with 7.75 and 6,50 point rides, the transplanted Capetonian waited until the 18th minute to record his second ride, a 7,0 that clinched the title, R3 500 and 1 000 ratings points.
Fahrenfort used a similar game-plan to win his semi-final encounter against fellow Billabong team rider Rudy Palmboom (Bluff, KZN) while Nel was far busier in qualifying for the final by beating Durban’s Kyle Jacobs.
“I know the waves at New Pier well so I only rode three waves in my quarter and just two in the semi and went out to do the same in the final,” explained Fahrenfort, adding “It worked out for me and I’m just stoked to get past the second place curse – I’ve two already this year.”
Rosanne Hodge returned from her campaign on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) to clinch her first Pro Junior girls’ title of the year, and her fifth straight series event victory after winning the last four of 2005, with an outstanding display of high performance surfing.
Recording 8,25 and 7,5 point rides in the final, Rosy demonstrated the form that has taken her to 12th spot on the WQS ratings this years, leaving fellow East Londoner Nikita Robb fighting for second place with Tammy-Lee Smith (Salt Rock, KZN), her WQS traveling companion who is currently ranked 10th in the world.
Robb got the nod by with an 11.25 point heat total to Smith’s 11.10 while Tarryn Chudleigh (Scarborough, CT) battled to find the waves offering high scoring potential in final after an outstanding semi-final victory over Smith and the Capetonian had to settle for fourth overall.
Chad du Toit made it two in row in the U16 boys final, blitzing his opponents with an opening ride that began with a high risk aerial and went on to include half dozen more radical manoeuvres, earning him 8.25 points from the judges. The 15 year-old Durbanite backed that up with 8.0 ride for a heat total of 16.25, the highest of the five finals.
The Scottburgh duo of Shawn Dennis and Haydn MacNicol secured second and third places while 2005 U14 series champ Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay), like MacNicol a new member of the recently announced SA junior surf team, placed fourth in his first final at U16 level.
The U14 final was a close affair that resulted in Michael February securing his first event title in just his second event after moving up from the U12 category. With his distinctive Afro prominent as he executed his trademark swooping cutbacks, the slender Kommetjie based teenager held off the challenge of Ryan Klynsmith (Winkelspruit, KZN) to win by 14.25 points to 13.35.
Tyde Gatcke (East London) and Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga Rocks), the winner and runner-up respectively of the first series event of 2006 at St Mikes, took third and fourth places this time round.
The U12 final saw Billabong team riders grab the first three positions with Michael Venter (Warner Beach, KZN) scoring a deserved the victory over Steve Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay) and St Mikes winner Max Armstrong (Kommetjie). Josh Smit (Athlone Park, KZN), who had to fight his way through the repecharge heats in rounds two and three, finished fourth overall.
The Von Zipper Air Show’s R1 800 winner-takes-all prize-purse went to New Pier local Josh Redman who beat a high-class filed with an impressive 360 aerial in an entertaining 20 minutes of progressive surfing.
The Best Kustomised Manoeuvre awards of R500 and a pair of Kustom shoes went to fellow Durbanite Chad du Toit for his outstanding double rail-grab aerial in the U16 final and to Rosanne Hodge for a huge carving manoeuvre that took her to victory in the Pro Junior girls’ final. Hodge qualified as a ‘local’ because there is no series event in East London this year.
The coveted Zigzag Performance award of R1 000 and a replica hand-grenade was awarded to Kyle Jacobs (Durban) who was adjudged to have ‘blown up’ with the best performance during the event.
All competitors also received a custom event T-shirt and Mrs Palmers surfboard wax, Mentos sweets and either Red Bull (15 and over) or Capri-Sun fruit juice (14 and under) with the girls receiving copies of Saltwater Girl magazine.
The 2006 Billabong Junior Series, which is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), started at St Mikes on the KwaZulu-Natal South coast in February. The third event is scheduled for Cape Town (May 18-21) followed by Victoria Bay in the Southern Cape (June 15-18) before it wraps up in Jeffreys Bay (August 5-8) where the 10th annual series champions will be crowned.
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.
Billabong Junior Series
Event # 2, New Pier, Dairy Beach, Durban Coast, Event Results
U/20 Girls 1. Rosanne Hodge (East London) R2 000 2. Nikita Robb (East London) R 900 3. Tammy-Lee Smith (Salt Rock, KZN) R 600 4. Tarryn Chudleigh (Scarborough, CT) R 500
U/16 Boys 1. Chad du Toit (Durban) R2 000 2. Shawn Dennis (Scottburgh, KZN) R1 000 3. Haydn MacNicol (Scottburgh, KZN) R 750 4. Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay) R 550
U/14 Boys 1. Michael February (Kommetjie, CT) R1 500 2. Ryan Klynsmith (Winkelspruit, KZN) R 850 3. Tyde Gatcke (East London) R 550 4. Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga, KZN) R 350
U/12 Boys 1. Michael Venter (Warner Beach, KZN) R1 000 2. Steve Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay) R 750 3. Max Armstrong (Kommetjie) R 500 4. Josh Smit (Athlone Park, KZN) R 350
Von Zipper Air Show Josh Redman (Durban) R1 800
Zigzag Performance Award Kyle Jacobs (Durban) R1 000
Best Kustomised Manoeuvre Boys – Chad du Toit (Durban) R500 + Kustom Shoes
For full results and heat sheets from the Pro Junior boys and girls’ divisions go to www.aspafrica.co.za
The Billabong Junior Series is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), the national controlling body for the sport. The U20 boys and girls’ divisions are also sanctioned by ASP Africa.
The series is proudly supported by First National Bank, who contribute 50% of the prize-pool and cover the travel costs of the four Pro Junior boys and top girl to Australia each January; Red Bull whose Bette mobile music centre, Wigwam and Energy Centre are highly appreciated by the competitors; Mentos sweets; Capri Sun juices for U14’s; Mrs Palmers surf wax, Drench hair-care products for the girls; Salt Water Girl magazine and Blackfoot Productions who record, produce and flight the 30 minute television show on SuperSport covering each of the five events.
The 2006 Billabong Junior Series started in St Mikes on the KZN South Coast (February 23-26) and, after Durban (March 30-April 2), moves to Cape Town (May 18-21), Victoria Bay in the Southern Cape (June 15-18) and wraps up in Jeffreys Bay (August 5-8) where the 10th annual series champions will be crowned.
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.
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