Matthew Bromley : photo Silver Bullet Productions

Billabong Junior Series

Surfing South Africa
Victoria Bay South Africa
9 - 12 August 2007

Ideal conditions as groms star on opening day of Billabong Junior Series event at Victoria Bay

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 9 August, 2007 : - - The fourth of five events in the R220 000 Billabong Junior Series got underway on Thursday at Victoria Bay in the Southern Cape in one metre (3 foot) waves that reeled down the long right-hand point fanned by a brisk offshore wind. 

The country’s top 20 year-old and younger surf stars reveled in conditions that provided an ideal platform to display their talents with the pre-teen groms in the U12 division receiving cheers for their performances from the packed public holiday crowd basking in warm sunshine on the beach.

12 year-old Diran Zakarian from Melkbosstrand was the standout performer of the day, posting excellent scores of 8.25 and 7.25 (out of 10) as he demolished what for him were overhead waves with radical manoeuvres that sent sheets of spray flying into the air.

Not to be outdone, current U12 series ratings leader Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay) also earned an 8.25 on his way to a first round heat victory over current No. 2 Slade Prestwich (Scottburgh), with both advancing directly to round 3 while those finishing third and fourth were given a second chance in round 2.

Other U12’s to feature included giant-killer Benji Brand, who won the Mini-Groms (10-and-under) title at the prestigious NSSA championships in California last month, reigning U12 series champ and defending event champ Max Armstrong (both from Kommetjie) and Vic Bay local Daniel Buitendag (George) who all won their opening encounters.

The young guns in the super-competitive U16 boys’ category also took advantage of the rippable waves with Umhlanga’s Beyrick de Vries showing the benefits of an extended stay in the USA during May and June by blazing to victory over David Kelly (Bluewater Bay, PE).

Kommetjie’s Brendon Gibbens, seeded a lowly 17th after missing a couple of events earlier this year due to a broken leg, and Grant Beck (Port Elizabeth) produced the upset of the day by eliminating hot favourite and SA’s King of the Groms, Dale Staples (St Francis Bay), who could not find the form that made him a finalist at Vic Bay last year.

Nick Godfrey (Cape St Francis) and Matt Bromley (Kommetjie) advanced comfortably to the last 16 in the event and, with no second chances for the U16’s, will be keen to capitalise on Staples’ early exit to establish themselves at the top of the series rankings before the final event in Jeffreys Bay where the 2007 series champions will be crowned next month.

The opening round of the 63 strong field in the premier Pro Junior (U20) boys division started the day’s proceedings and Gibbens was first out of the blocks, earning solid 7.0 and 6.0 point scores to progress to the round of 48.

Other standouts included Jaryd Whitehead (Winkelspruit, SKZN) and Sean Koch (Kommetjie) who finished first and second respectively in their first round match-up, Jamie Lawrence (St Francis Bay) and reigning U14 series champ Michael February (Kommetjie) who was an alternate in the last heat of the round and went on to win it convincingly.

The event runs until Sunday when the finals in all five divisions will be held along with the spectacular Von Zipper Air Show where the country’s top ‘fly-boys’ display their aerial talents with the best completed manoeuvre earning the winner-takes-all R1 800 prize-purse. Friday’s program includes the opening rounds of 32 for the Pro Junior girls and U14 boys along with the Pro Junior boys Round of 48.

The Billabong Junior Series is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), the national controlling body for the sport, and proudly supported by First National Bank, Palmers, Kustom, Von Zipper, Red Bull and Silver Bullet Productions. 

More details on the Billabong Junior Series, including profiles on some of the top performers, results of previous events and other surfing news can be found online.

Previous reports:
# 1 : Billabong Junior Series Victoria Bay set to kick off Aug 9
# 2 : Billabong Junior Series rolling into Victoria Bay Thursday
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

www.billabong.com/africa

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