Clinton Gravett : photo Clinton Theron/Silverbullet

12th annual Billabong Junior Series

SSA
St Michaels-on-Sea KZN South Africa
21 - 24 February 2008

Clinton Gravett shines in difficult conditions at Billabong Junior Series at St Mikes

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 21 February, 2008 : - - Clinton Gravett from East London posted the best performance on the opening day of the first Billabong Junior Series of 2008 held in tricky one to 1.5 metre waves and a stiff onshore NE wind at St Michaels-on-Sea on the KZN South Coast on Thursday.

The 19 year-old who has gained plenty of international experience competing in both Pro Junior and WQS events around the world, posted a pair of 9.0 point rides in his Round 2 heat to easily progress to the next round along with second placed Steven Sawyer, 12, from Jeffreys Bay.

In conditions that times resembled the inside of a washing machine in mid cycle, wave selection was paramount as competitors sat and waited for left and right breaking waves in the middle of the St Mikes bay rather than at the usual lineup spot on the point. Organisers completed the first two rounds of the premier Pro Junior division and Round 1 of the U16’s before calling it a day.

Others who managed to find the better shaped waves and compile high scoring rides included Scottburgh local Haydn MacNicol, who won both his first and second round heats convincingly, as did Brendon Gibbens (Kommetjie) who was riding a patched-up surfboard after he creased it badly while practicing yesterday.

Reigning USA 11-and-under champion Benji Brand, one of the favourites in the U12 division, produced an excellent performance in the first round of the Pro Juniors (U20) but was eliminated in Round 2 when he finished in third place behind James Maddocks (Durban) and Bertie Stuurman from Jeffreys Bay.

Brendon Fijac (Scottburgh), Daniel Wilson (Tokai), Jean du Plessis (East London) and Davey Brand (Kommetjie) recorded comfortable victories in the opening round of the U16 category and showed that they will be a force to be reckoned with when they oppose the top eight seeds in Round 2.

The biggest upset of the day came when J-Bay’s Remi Peterson, one of the stars of last year’s U14 division, was ousted from the U16 event by du Plessis and Kane Bennewith (Durban). The top 16 seeds in the Pro Juniors, including 2007 series champion Rudy Palmboom (Bluff), start their challenge for honours in Round 3 on Friday, when the opening rounds of the U12 and U14 divisions will be run.

Better weather with light winds and an increase in swell size is predicted for the next three days. The event continues until Sunday when the finals in the U12, U14, U16 and Pro Junior categories will be held along with the spectacular Von Zipper Air Show where the country’s top exponents of aerial manoeuvres will be going all out to grab the R2 000 winner-takes-all prize-purse.

The improved conditions will also delight the participants in the informal but highly anticipated and hotly contested Braaivleis Showdown on Saturday afternoon. Parents from the various coastal centres are already drawing up menus and ordering delicacies as the Showdown has assumed additional importance with fierce rivals the Stormers (Cape Town) taking on the Sharks (Durban) in a Super 14 rugby showdown at 5pm that day.

The Billabong Junior Series is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), the national controlling body for the sport, and the ratings points earned in each event also count towards the annual SSA Pro Surf Tour (PST) rankings. The Pro Junior division at the final event in Jeffreys Bay will be sanctioned by ASP Africa and count towards their 2008 Pro Junior titles.

The series is proudly supported by First National Bank, Palmers, Kustom and Von Zipper.

www.billabong.com
www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

More African Surfing News available here
Check the latest Africa Surf Reports and Forecasts

New! B2B News ASBE-Surf   |  Receive News-Alerts

Life's a Beach Communications

Junior Contests - Surfersvillage