Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 13 June, 2006 : - - Damien Fahrenfort holds a commending lead in the ratings in the premier Pro Junior (U20) boys division of the Billabong Junior Series going into the fourth of the five events at Victoria Bay that runs from Thursday to Sunday, 15-18 June.

 

The gangly 19 year-old won the last two events in Durban and Cape Town after finishing runner-up to Jordy Smith in the opener at St Mikes and is determined to cement his place in the top four to secure a coveted invitation to the Billabong ASP World Junior Champs in Australia next January.

 

His toughest opponent this weekend will again be fellow Durban resident, world tour traveling companion and Billabong team rider Smith with the pair probing for the advantage from as early as the round of 32 in the 70 man field, provided Fahrenfort advances from his round three encounter.

 

Others eyeing world champs invites include the top seed Keegan Nel (East London), Durbanites Rory Beach, Rudy Palmboom (Bluff) and defending event champion Brandon Jackson; Clinton Gravett (EL); wildcard Klee Strachan (Amanzimtoti) and Capetonians Brett Shearer and Wesley Grey, while Mossel Bay surf prodigy Shaun Joubert (14) occupies 11th spot in the ratings and will be counting on his local knowledge to upset the top 10.

 

The Pro Junior girls division is a much tighter affair with Cape Town event winner Nikita Robb (East London) holding a slender ratings lead over Tarryn Chudleigh (Scarborough) in the race for the series title and the one world champs invite for the girls. 

 

Hovering dangerously just behind the leaders are international campaigners Tammy-Lee Smith (Salt Rock, KZN) and Rosanne Hodge (EL), who are currently ranked 10th and 12th respectively on the women’s WQS leaderboard but have only contested two of the three events Billabong Junior Series to date. Chantelle Rautenbach (Melkbosstrand), like Robb and Chudleigh a member of the SA junior surf team, is also in the top five.

 

In the U16 boys, Chad du Toit (Durban) maintains his lead over the group of last year’s U14 stars who prevented him from reaching the final in the Cape Town event, including Joubert, Dale Staples (St Francis Bay), Kommetjie’s Matt Bromley, the 2006 U14 Vic Bay champ, and Brendon Gibbens.

 

Devin Lane (Umhlanga), Michael February (Kommetjie) and Tyde Gatcke (East London), the winners of the first three U14 events of 2005, are locked in a battle for supremacy along with Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga) and Ryan Klynsmith (Winkelspruit) in this division while Max Armstrong (Kommetjie), Michael Venter (Warner Beach) and Steven Sawyer head the U12 standings.

 

Another huge entry of just less than 200 of the country’s best junior surfers means competition will get underway at 8am on Thursday, well ahead of the 12 noon start proposed by the organisers when they opted to increase the length of the series events from three days to four at the beginning of the year. The preliminary rounds of all five divisions are scheduled to be run on the first day.

 

Sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), with the Pro Junior boys and girls divisions also sanctioned by ASP Africa as part of the Pro Surf Tour (PST), the Billabong Junior Series events offer over R30 000 in prize-money at each event, along with a substantial R 35 000 prize-pool for the series winners which is co-sponsored by First National Bank.

 

Each event also features a Von Zipper Air Show where the surfer completing the most innovative aerial manoeuvre pockets R1 800; the Zigzag Performance award of R1 000 and a replica hand grenade trophy for the competitor who ‘blows up’ with an outstanding display during the event and Best Kustomised Manoeuvre awards of R500 and a paid of Kustom Purpose Built Footwear for the local boy and girl who complete the best manoeuvre in the contest.

 

The series is proudly supported by FNB, who also cover the travel costs of the four Pro Junior boys and top girl invited to compete in the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in Australia in 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 and Zigzag magazines 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) followed by Durban (March 30-April 2) and Cape Town (18-21 May) and after Victoria Bay (June 15-18) it wraps up in Jeffreys Bay (August 5-8) where the 10th annual series champions will be crowned.