The long wait is over and the wildcard entries for the Ballito Pro, pres. by O’Neill Challenger Series surfing event have been revealed.
Six wildcard slots are on offer – three men and three women – of which four were announced this week.
Jordy Maree (Cape Town) and Luc Lepront (Scottburgh) were awarded the men’s slots, while Louise Lepront (Scottburgh) and Sarah Scott (Cape Town) scooped the women’s wildcards.
The remaining two will be awarded to the champions of The Ballito Open pres. by Flojos QS1000 event, to be crowned on Sunday.
Jordy is a returning threat with a single goal in mind – qualifying for the Championship Tour.
With a ninth place finish at the Sydney Surf Pro Challenger in May, on a replacement entry, the 25-year-old goofy foot’s intentions are clear.
Jordy has already proven his worth having previously qualified for the Challenger Series but declining the slot for personal reasons. It has taken him three years to get back to form and he is chomping at the bit to stamp down his authority this year.
“Finally I’m back! It has taken me three years to get to this place. It’s been such a journey but I am so happy to be able to say I’m back and ready for the rest of the year!” he posted on Instagram after his breakthrough performance in Australia two months ago.
With his trademark 12 o’clock vertical corkscrew rotations and extensive experience in Ballito, Jordy is one of those wildcards that could upset the apple cart on any given day.
Seventeen-year-old Luc Lepront is the reigning South African U18 champion and 2023 O’Neill SMTH Shapes Rookie Rippers semi-finalist, defeated by eventual champion Ryan Kainalo of Brazil. Luc comes to Ballito in lethal form with a fourth placing at the SA Open of Surfing and third at the recent eThekwini Surf Pro.
Making it a family affair, his younger sister Louise’s wildcard allocation is a no-brainer. The 15-year-old is currently the third ranked U16 surfer in the world after clinching a stunning bronze medal at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in El Salvador in May.
“I’m lost for words, taking home a bronze medal from this year’s @isasurfing world games has been my biggest accomplishment. I came into this event with my goal set to make the quarter-finals. I managed to exceed my goal and get a 3rd place in the world for the U16 girls,” she said on Instagram.
Proving she is the real deal, Louise backed up her El Salvador performance with a win at the eThekwini Surf Pro QS1000 last month.
Poised to prove her mettle against the world’s best, she is an absolute charger and currently the top-ranked surfer in the WSL Africa region.
Sarah Scott (18) is a familiar face in Ballito, having competed and achieved good results before. She qualified for this year’s Challenger Series but declined her slot, choosing to focus on her matric year instead.
Competing without the pressure of qualification, the 2023 SA junior surfing champion has had stellar results this year with a fourth at the SA Open of Surfing QS1000 and second at the eThekwini Surf Pro QS1000.
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