Rudy Palmbroom : photo Dave Allan / Billabong

Billabong Junior Series J-Bay

ASP Pro Junior Men's and Women's Event
Jeffreys Bay South Africa
21 - 24 September 2007
 
Rudy Palmboom Jnr claims event and series titles in Billabong Junior Series at Jeffreys Bay 

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 24 September, 2007 : - - Rudy Palmboom Jnr claimed both the event and series titles in the premier Pro Junior boys at the fifth and final event of the 2007 Billabong Junior Series with an excellent display of contest surfing at Jeffreys Bay on Monday.

Coming into the event ranked No. 1, the 19 year-old from Durban’s Bluff top scored in the early rounds and then maintained a consistently high standard through three heats on the final day to pocket the R14 000 winner’s pay cheque plus R4 000 from the series prize-pool for heading the Pro Junior ratings. 

“Eisch, it feels amazing! I’m sooo stoked,” said an elated Palmboom after his event and series titles were confirmed. “It was a nerve-wracking day, especially in the semi where I just squeezed through with a 7.5 on the last ride of the heat. In the final I just went out and had fun and it all ended well”

The champion made light work of the early rainy conditions and offshore 0.5 to one metre waves that rose to 1.3 metres and side shore during the day, defeating Casey Grant in the quarters before narrowly beating Brett Shearer in the semis and then Brandon Roberts in the final.  

Roberts, who finished runner-up in both the event and series ratings, earned R6 300 plus R2 000 from the prize-pool after wins over Klee Strachan and then Clinton Gravett, but could not find the 6.1 points required to overtake Palmboom in the last seven minutes of the final. 

Palmboom and Roberts along with Shearer, Brandon Jackson and Josh Redman, who finished first to fifth in the ratings, received the coveted invitations to compete in the R420 000 Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in Sydney, Australia in January, with their airfare paid by First National Bank. 

Nick Godfrey : photo Dave Allan / Billabong

Despite finishing second to current WQS No. 15 Nikita Robb at Jeffreys Bay, Tarryn Chudleigh clinched the Pro Junior girls’ series title and an invitation to the world junior champs. It was only Robb’s second appearance in a series event this year so she did not feature in the ratings where 13 year-old Bianca Buitendag and Chantelle Rautenbach finished second and third even though they did not reach the final today. 

In a great display of surfing that saw her win the Zigzag Performance Award of R1 000 plus the prized replica hand grenade trophy, Adele Nortje took third place in the final followed by 14 year-old Heidi Palmboom. In an exciting U16 boys'  final, Beyrick de Vries grabbed victory with an 8.0 point ride that continued after the siren had sounded to end the heat to overtake an on-form Dale Staples with Nick Godfrey in third ahead of a fast improving Jacob Mellish. 

Godfrey clinched the series title as soon as he qualified for the final with Staples leap-frogging over Matthew Bromley, who was eliminated in the semis, to earn the runner-up berth in the season ending ratings.

Mikey February dominated the U14 boys’ final, leaving his three opponents comboed and needing to improve on both their counting rides after scoring a 9.0 point ride in the second minute. Having accumulated an unassailable lead in the ratings before the final event, February successfully defended the U14 title he won last year.

J-Bay local Steven Sawyer clinched the runner-up berth in the final from David van Zyl and Daniel Wilson, both of whom recorded their best results of the 2007 series. Dane Staples and Jarred Veldhuis were rewarded for their excellent performances through the year by taking second and third in the series rankings. 

The U12 boys may be the youngest division in the series but they produced an epic final with the lead constantly changing hands. Slade Prestwich was in the lead when the siren sounded with J-Bay local Dylan Lightfoot in second and they also finished in that order on the ratings.

Tarryn Chudleigh : photo Dave Allan / Billabong

Defending U12 series champ Max Armstrong placed third in the final, just ahead of Josh Smit, but it was newcomer Diran Zakarian who, despite finishing seventh on the day, snatched third spot on the ratings and earned R1 000 from the series prize-pool. 

The Von Zipper Air Show produced its customary spectacular display of aerial manoeuvres and in a another last minute victory, Josh Redman successfully launched himself into the air and completed a 360 reverse to take home the R1 800 winner-takes-all purse. 

The Kustom Awards of R500 and a pair of Kustom footwear went to Jeffreys Bay’s Bertie Stuurman who started in round one of the Pro Junior boys, top scored on day one and eliminated then series No. 2 Brandon Jackson in Round 3 to reach the last 16 in the event, finishing 13th overall. Faye Zoetmulder from Port Elizabeth, who narrowly missed qualifying for the Pro Junior girls’ final, placing fifth overall, earned the Kustom award for the best local girl. 

The 2007 Billabong Junior Series was sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA) with the Pro Junior boy’s event at Jeffreys bay also sanctioned by ASP Africa. The series was proudly supported by First National Bank, Palmers, Kustom, Von Zipper, Red Bull and Silver Bullet Productions 

The 2007 series started at St Mikes in February followed by Durban (March 29-April 1), Cape Town (May 17-20) and Victoria Bay (August 9-12). The Point at Jeffreys Bay hosted the final event in the series for the 11th consecutive year. 

2007 Billabong Junior Series Final Series ratings  (Best 4 out of 5 results)

Pro Junior boys
1.  Rudy Palmboom (Bluff)                     R4 000
2.  Brandon Roberts (Sun Valley)         R2 000
3.  Brett Shearer (Kommetjie)                R1 000
4.  Brandon Jackson (Durban North)
5.  Josh Redman (Umdloti)

Pro Junior Girls
1.  Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie)         R4 000
2.  Bianca Buitendag (George)            R2 000
3.  Chantelle Rautenbach (Melkbos)    R1 000

U16 Boys
1.  Nick Godfrey (Cape St Francis)     R4 000
2.  Dale Staples (St Francis Bay)        R2 000
3.  Matthew Bromley (Kommetjie)        R1 000

U/14 Boys
1.  Michael February (Kommetjie)        R4 000
2.  Dane Staples (St Francis Bay)       R2 000
3.  Jarred Veldhuis (Kommetjie)           R1 000

U/12 Boys
1.  Slade Prestwich (Scottburgh)        R4 000
2.  Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay)       R2 000
3.  Diran Zakarian (Melkbos)                R1 000

2007 Billabong Junior Series Event # 5 Results

Pro Junior Boys
Rudy Palmboom (Bluff)                        R14 000
Brandon Roberts (Sun Valley)            R  6 300
Brett Shearer (Kommetjie)                   R  3 850
Clinton Gravett (East London)             R  3 850
5.  Klee Strachan (Winkelspruit)          R  1 750
5.  Nick Godfrey (Cape St Francis)     R  1 750
5.  Casey Grant (Scottburgh)              R  1 750
5.  Josh Redman (Umdloti)                   R  1 750

Pro Junior Girls
Nikita Robb (East London)                   R2 000
Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie)             R   900
Adele Nortje (Mossel Bay)                  R   600
Heidi Palmboom (Bluff)                        R   500 
 
U16 Boys
Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga)              R2 000
Dale Staples (St Francis Bay)             R1 000
Nick Godfrey (Cape St Francis)          R   750
Jacob Mellish (Somerset West)           R   550 
 
U14 Boys
Michael February (Kommetjie)             R1 500
Steven Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay)          R   850
David van Zyl (Glenashley)                R   550
Daniel Wilson (Tokai)                          R   350 
 
U12 Boys
Slade Prestwich (Scottburgh)            R1 000
Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay)           R   750
Max Armstrong (Kommetjie)               R   500
Josh Smit (Athlone Park)                    R   350 

Von Zipper Air Show
Josh Redman (Umdloti)                      R1 800

Zigzag Performance award
Adele Nortje (Mossel Bay)                 R1 000  

Kustom Award for best local surfers
Best local boy: Bertie Stuurman (Jeffreys Bay)
Best Local girl: Faye Zoetmulder (Port Elizabeth) 

Previous reports:
# 1 : Billabong Junior Series South Africa scores ASP Jr rating
# 2 : Fifth & final event of 2007 Billabong Jr. Series hits J-Bay
# 3 : Bromley blows up Billabong Pro Jr. Series Jefferys Bay
# 4 : Seeds stay on track for Billabong Junior Series Jeffreys

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