The number of South Africans left in this year’s Ballito Pro has narrowed to just three at the round of 32 stage.
As surfing action resumed with the women’s round of 32 this morning, initially decent morning conditions gave way to an unpleasant afternoon amid heavy wind.
The contest was called off for the day after four of the allotted eight heats were completed.
One of the surfers who did manage to get a heat in was Cape Town-born Jessie van Niekerk, but she was unable to progress.
She surfed in the first heat of the day against Australian Championship Tour powerhouse Isabella Nichols and Challenger Series regulars Kirra Pinkerton (USA) and Amuro Tsuzuki (Japan).
The quartet came out all guns blazing and although there were no high individual scores, consistent 5.0-score waves were being caught throughout the heat.
Nichols claimed the heat win ahead of Pinkerton and the surfers were separated by just 0.23 points.
They will go on to the round of 16 against the six surfers who qualified in first and second position through the other three completed heats this morning.
Photo: Pierre Tostee/WSL.
Those heats were won by former Ballito Pro runner-up Vahine Fierro (France), Sierra Kerr (Australia) and Minami Nonaka (Japan).
In-form Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (Basque Country), Ellie Harrison (Australia) and Sophie Medina (Brazil) qualified in second position.
From the round of 16 onwards, the contest is a straight one-on-one knock-out until the finals.
But there are still eight spots to be filled when the women’s round of 32 returns tomorrow, and two of them will be chased by remaining South African surfers Sarah Baum and Louise Lepront.
Durban’s Baum has had to be patient in waiting for her first chance to surf as she qualified for a bye to the round of 32.
Her heat will be the first surfed tomorrow if conditions permit and include former world number one Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia), South African-born Philippa Anderson (Australia) and Japan’s Sara Wakita.
Baum has already qualified to represent South Africa at this year’s Olympics and will be hoping to build momentum through a good result in Ballito.
The surf in Ballito has previously been a good fit for Baum who claimed the 2019 Ballito Pro title in front of huge home support.
As for 15-year-old Lepront, the event represents an excellent opportunity to further bolster her burgeoning surfing reputation.
The youngster from Margate has become one of the most exciting names in South African surfing over the last few years, taking out more experienced competition on multiple occasions.
And perhaps the stars will align in heat 7 tomorrow, which includes two Basque surfers in Nadia Erostarbe and Ariane Ochoa, as well as fellow teenager Bella Kenworthy from America.
Baum and Lepront are two of three remaining hopes for South African fans, alongside Capetonian Luke Slijpen who will compete in the men’s round of 32.
Surf conditions look promising tomorrow morning and particularly on Saturday morning – where 5-7 foot waves have been forecast.
The call as to whether the competition is on will take place at 7am tomorrow, before a 7.30am start.
Follow live results and free livestreaming of the action here.
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