Emerging talent continued to slay big names in the water in the Ballito Pro, presented by O’Neill men’s and women’s rounds of 16 today.
In the men’s competition Ian Gouveia of Brazil is the only top 10 ranked Challenger Series (CS) athlete left in the competition while on the women’s side only four of the top 10 remain.
They are Isabella Nichols (AUS), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Vanine Fierro (FRA) and Luana Silva (BRA).
An increased morning swell saw jetski assist come into play in earlier heats – something not seen at the Ballito Pro in years.
This, along with whales and dolphins popping up in the surf zone added to the already pulpable excitement in the air.
The round of 16 saw two-person heats introduced to the competition with some stacked matchups on the menu.
Heat one saw the first of two upsets at the hand of the newly brewing Japanese storm when Keijiro Nishi comfortably defeated Joel Vaughan (AUS) with 13.83 over 4.40 out of a possible 20 points.
Later Japan’s Hiroto Ohhara – who has been on an absolute tear since day one – eliminated the 2019 Ballito Pro champion and Championship Tour veteran, Deivid Silva of Brazil.
One of the most eagerly anticipated heats of the day saw two Brazilian titans, Ian Gouveia and Samuel Pupo – ranked fifth and first on the CS – go head-to-head in a high stakes affair.
Edging out Pupo with 13.82 over 13.24 points, Gouveia jumped three spots to number two on the CS live rankings while Pupo managed to hang on the apex position.
With the new swell arriving, conditions were a little messy and challenging, but this is the battlefield and athletes that book-ended aerial maneuvers with controlled landings were rewarded by the judges.
Nolan Rapoza’s (USA) effervescent personality came out in his surfing, going excellent twice to eliminate Brazilian superstar, Michael Rodriguez with 16.50 points over 12.50.
Rapoza’s quarter final birth saw him catapulted from 64th to 21st on the live CS rankings.
Another standout was Hawaii’s Jackson bunch that jumped from 45th to 16th after defeating Alister Reginato to stamp his quarter final ticket.
Heat eight in the men’s round of 16 saw 18-year-old Winter Vincent send fellow Aussie, Jacob Wilcox packing.
Being the lone Aussie remaining, the teen carries the hopes of a proud surfing nation on his shoulders.
Women bringing the heat
With a brushing southerly cross-shore wind causing conditions to deteriorate in the afternoon, the women’s round of 16 was called off for the day at the end of heat six.
The last Saffa standing, Sarah Baum unfortunately fell victim to the sketchy conditions.
She never really got out of the blocks and was defeated by Tessa Thyssen of France in a sloppy heat.
Good news for former Championship Tour contender, Isabella Nichols is that her victory over junior powerhouse, Janine Gonzalez Etxabarri of the Basque Country saw her take over the top spot on the live CS rankings.
Fresh off a massive Championship tour victory in Tahiti where she competed as a wildcard, Vahine Fierro thrashed San Clemente’s Kirra Pinkerton with clinical basic surfing to stamp her quarter final ticket and keep her CT qualification dream alive.
Women’s heat three saw two legacy surfers, Sophia Medina (sister of three time world champion, Gabriel Medina) and Sierra Kerr (daughter of the legendary Josh Kerr) push each other’s limits in a mouth-watering matchup that delivered on every expectation. Medina who has shown an upward curve in her surfing over the last 12 months pleased the judges with commitment and heavy-hitting finishes.
Combining turns with big lip line attacks saw Medina find excellent numbers in the lineup that saw her defeat Kerr with 14.66 over 11.17.
The final heat of the day saw defending Ballito Pro champion, Bronte Macauley go down to fellow Aussie and CT legend, Sally Fitzgibbons.
Macauley looked fired up and bagged solid early scores of 7.17 and 5.17, leaving Fitzgibbons chasing a 7.17 in very poor conditions.
It took a while but Fitzgibbons somehow managed to pull the rabbit out the hat, clicking two lively attacking turns under priority to go excellent with 8.33 and advance to first.
A smiling Fitzgibbons clinched the heat with 13.73 over 12.34.
The action resumes tomorrow with a 7am call for a possible 7.30am start.
