Billabong Junior Series

Surfing South Africa
Golden Mile Durban South Africa
29 March - 1 April 2007

Great waves and surfing at Billabong Junior Series in Durban

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 30 March, 2007 : - - Excellent one to 1.5 metre (3-5 foot) waves with occasional two metre sets provided the canvas for country’s best 20 year-old and younger surfers to showcase their talent on the second day of the Billabong Junior Series event at Bay of Plenty in Durban. 

The seeded surfers in the Pro Junior (U20) boys and girls’ divisions took advantage of the conditions and generally dominated their heats although Brandon Jackson, the top seed and winner of the first event of the year at St Mikes in February, was eliminated in a major upset.

In a tightly contested heat where the lead changed hands four times in the last three minutes, Jackson found himself in third place when the ocean went flat and he was unable to find another ride. Josch Schmeltzer (Westville) won the heat and advanced to the last 16 along with runner-up Kyle Lane (Umhlanga) with Jackson and Justin Grey (Bluewater Bay) sidelined.

Top ride of the day went to Devon Mundow who nearly missed his heat. Paddling out with just 12 of the 20 minutes remaining, the teenager from Kloof slotted straight into a long barrel ride from which emerged to cheers from crowd on the beach and 9.0 points from the judges. Adding a 4.0 point ride before the siren sounded, Mundow exited the surf in first place ahead of fifth seed Klee Strachan (Winkelspruit).

Second seed Rudy Palmboom will be looking to capitalise on Jackson’s early demise by repeating the performance levels that saw the Bluff resident earn 8.25 and 6.0 rides and a comfortable passage to the next round. And U16 stars Dale Staples (St Francis Bay) and Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga), competing in both their own and the Pro Junior division, conspired to dent the hopes of sixth seed Shawn Dennis (Glenwood) who placed third behind the youngsters.

The girls again emphasised the growing pool of surfing talent in the country by charging the considerably overhead waves. National junior team member Chantelle Rautenbach (Melkbosstrand) recorded the highest heat tally of the event to date – 16 out of 20 – when she performed a series of flowing manoeuvres on overhead waves to net 8.75 and 7.25 point rides.

Top seed Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie) was another to be awarded 8.75 for one of her two counting rides while the 13 year-old trio of Heidi Palmboom (Bluff), Sarah Baum (Athlone Park) and Bianca Buitendag (George) continued their rise to stardom by winning their respective heats against older opponents.