2006 Billabong Junior Series

Surfing South Africa
Victoria Bay
15 - 19 June

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 18 June, 2006 : - - Jordy Smith used his unique repertoire of high performance manoeuvres to clinch another Pro Junior boys' title in the Billabong Junior Series event at Victoria Bay on Sunday, defeating top seed Keegan Nel East London in the final held in excellent one to 1.5 metre (3-5 foot) surf. 

The Pro Junior girls’ crown went to Tammy-Lee Smith (Salt Rock, KZN) while Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay) scored the highest points of the event in winning U16 boys, Michael February secured his second U14 title as did fellow Kommetjie surfer Max Armstrong in the U12’s.  

Awarded a wildcard into the round of 32, Smith started his campaign with a runner-up finish behind series ratings leader Damien Fahrenfort (Kommetjie). But the runner-up in the U18 division of the ISA world junior champs then raised his level and defeated Fahrenfort in a four-man quarter-final and then again in their man-on-man semi-final encounter to reach the final. 

Nel also started slowly, advancing to the last 16 behind the second wildcard, Klee Strachan (Amanzimtoti), and then repeating that against Kommetjie standout Dave Richards. However, the current ASP Africa Pro Surf Tour U20 ratings leader reversed the result against Richards in their semi to qualify for a berth in the finals against Smith. 

The final was a high scoring match-up with Smith counting an 8.4 and a 7.9 in his tally while Nel, who had recorded an 8.0 and a 7.65, had the opportunity to grab victory in the last minute on a solid 1.5 metre set wave, but fell, and Smith secured a record setting sixth Pro Junior title, overtaking Ricky Basnett who held the previous record of five. 

Reigning girls’ series champ Tammy-Lee Smith made a welcome return to the series victory for the first time this year. The 20 year-old finished ahead of world tour traveling companion Rosanne Hodge, whose fellow East Londoner Nikita Robb finished third and retained her lead at the top of the series standings after four events.  

George local Bianca Buitendag (12) made full use of her knowledge of Vic Bay to reach the final in the 38 strong field, finishing fourth against girls up to eight years her senior. 

Shaun Joubert from Mossel Bay, just 30 minutes from Vic Bay, who only turned 15 last month while in Brazil where he earned the bronze medal in the U16 boys, was the outstanding surfer of the event. Not only did he reach the last eight in the U20 boys’ event, finishing equal fifth overall, but he rode the two highest scoring waves of the entire event in the U16 final – near perfect 9.35 and 9.25 points from a possible 10 – and recorded the highest heat tally of 18.60. 

From the opening ride of the final his opponents were left fighting for second place as the international surf star in the making caught the best waves, rode them to perfection and even popped aerials at will. For the record fellow national junior team members Mathew Bromley (Kommetjie), with 12 .85 points, and Haydn MacNicol (Scottburgh) ended second and third respectively, with SA U14 champ Brendon Gibbens, who recently moved from Bishopscourt to Kommetjie, in fourth. 

Michael February, another super young talent from Kommetjie, the hotbed of SA junior surfing, added the Vic Bay U14 title to his triumph in Durban in April. The stylish 13 year-old scored a narrow victory (15.0 points vs. 14.0) over rising star Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga) with Ryan Klynsmith (Winkelspruit) taking third and previously unheralded Grant Beck (Port Elizabeth) charging into the final to grab fourth overall. 

In the U12 final, Max Armstrong finished just half a point (14.6 vs. 14.1) ahead of Kommetjie buddy Benji Brand, winner of the series event in Cape Town last month, to add to his victory at the opening series event at St Mikes in February. Third was a stoked Jarred Veldhuis, who lives five minutes away in Sun Valley, with Steve Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay), in his third consecutive final, taking fourth place. 

The Von Zipper Air Show produced a spectacular display of aerial manoeuvres from the country’s best junior exponents that resulted in Rudy Palmboom (Bluff) pocketing the R1 800 winner-takes-all prize-purse for an innovative ‘Passion Pop’ air. 

Rosy Hodge received the Zigzag Performance award for ‘blowing up’ during the event with Bianca Buitendag and David Kelly awarded the Best Kustomised Manoeuvre awards that go the most outstanding local competitors. 

The Billabong Junior Series is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), the national controlling body for the sport, with the Pro Junior boys and girls’ divisions also sanctioned by ASP Africa. The Vic Bay event was efficiently hosted by Southern Cape Surfing Association under the chairmanship of Anton Joubert, with Gary Gravett (East London) the contest director. 

The 2006 series started at St Mikes on the KwaZulu-Natal South coast in February followed by Durban in April and Cape Town in May. The series 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 # 4 (of 5), Victoria Bay, Southern Cape 

Event Results 

U/20 Boys
1.  Jordy Smith (Durban)                                       R3 500
2.  Keegan Nel (East London)                               R2 500
=3rd     Dave Richards (Kommetjie, CT)                R1 650
=3rd     Damien Fahrenfort (Kommetjie, CT)          R1 650 

U/20 Girls
1.  Tammy-Lee Smith (Salt Rock, KZN)                 R2 000
2.  Rosanne Hodge (East London)                        R   900
3.  Nikita Robb (East London)                                R   600
4.  Bianca Buitendag (George)                              R   500 

U/16 Boys
1.  Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay)                            R2 000
2.  Matthew Bromley (Kommetjie)                          R1 000
3.  Haydn MacNicol (Scottburgh)                           R   750
4.  Brendon Gibbens (Kommetjie)                          R   550 

U/14 Boys
1.  Michael February (Kommetjie, CT)                   R1 500
2.  Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga, KZN)                  R   850
3.  Ryan Klynsmith (Winkelspruit)                          R   550
4.  Grant Beck (Port Elizabeth)                              R   350 

U/12 Boys
1.  Max Armstrong (Kommetjie)                              R1 000
2.  Benji Brand (Kommetjie)                                     R   750
3.  Jarred Veldhuis (Sun Valley, CT)                       R   500
4.  Steven Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay)                         R   350 

Von Zipper Air Show
Rudy Palmboom (Bluff, KZN)                                  R1 800 

Zigzag Performance Award
Rosanne Hodge (East London)                              R1 000 

Best Kustomised Manoeuvre
Boys – David Kelly (George)                                  R500 + Kustom Shoes
Girls – Bianca Buitendag (George)                         R500 + Kustom Shoes 

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

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

www.billabong.com

Previous reports:
# 1 : Damien Fahrenfort leads ratings of Billabong Jr Series
# 2 : Fast facts for event # 4 of Billabong Jr. Series, Vic Bay
# 3 : Great start for Billabong Junior Series at Vic Bay, S.Afr
# 4 : Girls light up grey day at Vic Bay Billabong Junior Series 
# 5 : Rising swell & great surfing in Billabong Junior Series

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