• Houshmand Goes Huge, Andino and Young Gets Knocked
• Risk Equals Reward In Massive Surf For Wilcox
• Next Call: Thursday, 6 July at 7:00 a.m. SAST (7pm HI Time Wednesday nite)

BALLITO, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Wednesday, 5 July 2023) – The Ballito Pro presented by O’Neill, Stop No. 3 on the World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series (CS) completed a short day of competition, wrapping up the Men’s Round of 32 in big, challenging conditions.

The swell size jumped up a fair amount overnight with a strong south-westerly wind creating bumps on the four-to-five foot wave faces, with the occasional five-to-six foot set rolling through. It was a grueling paddle-out for the surfers who opted to exit the surf and rather run on the beach back to the rocks for a quicker entry into the lineup.

Houshmand Goes Huge, Andino and Young Gets Knocked

Coming off an incredible win at the Sydney Surf Pro, Cole Houshmand (USA) was on fire in his heat against fellow Californians Kolohe Andino (USA) and Nat Young (USA) and Tahiti’s Kauli Vaast (FRA).

Houshmand bagged a pair of 7-point rides for his strong backhand turns and was in the lead ahead of Vaast. A flurry of action in the last 5 minutes of the heat saw Houshmand get an excellent 8.10 (out of a possible 10) for a huge turn, climbing a big white wall of water and sticking his toes in the wax to ride it out successfully. Andino got his best score in the last few minutes, but it was a little too late to overtake Vaast, and was eliminated with Young.

“It feels really good, it’s always scary to try and back up a big result,” Houshmand said. “I try to just take it heat by heat and that was a fun one. I was bummed Kolohe or Nat couldn’t make it through with me, but it is what it is.”

Risk Equals Reward In Massive Surf For Wilcox

Making his way to the Round of 16 after winning the first heat of the morning, is the current Challenger Series rankings leader Jacob Wilcox (AUS). After two solid results during the Australian leg of the CS, Wilcox will aim to stay consistent and secure another keeper in Ballito.

“It’s actually pretty difficult out there,” Wilcox admitted. “I surfed out there this morning in the dark and got washed out all the way and I just thought, it’s going to be a hard day if you don’t nail the paddle out! It might get better with the tide dropping. It’s just a luck of the draw to be honest, trying to find something clean where you can do two turns or going for a straight closeout, the judges seem to like those one maneuvers.”

Sitting at sixth on the CS rankings, Jackson Baker (AUS) can breathe a sigh of relief after some last-minute heroics saw him advance to the Round of 16. Baker was down in third with time running out when he took off on a chunky wave, going for a hit into the lip and coming down with it, emerging from the exploding white water to get the required score for the win.

“That was just one of those where nothing goes your way and you have to fight to turn things around,” Baker said. “I was out of priority, out of everything. There’s always that self-belief, but those doubts come in, and I’ve been doing this a long time and had heats like that on tour so I just had to channel that. It wasn’t pretty, but I’ll take it!”

Joining Baker in the Round of 16 is South Africa’s Daniel Emslie, who did really well to control his efforts and build on his scores with his characteristic layback turns. Also locking in big performances were George Pittar (AUS), Joan Duru (FRA) and Kade Matson (USA), while top seeds Imaikalani deVault (HAW), Marco Mignot (FRA) and Mikey McDonagh (AUS) were eliminated.

The next call will be on Thursday, 6 July at 7:00 a.m. SAST for a possible 7:35 a.m. start.

Watch LIVE: Ballito Pro Presented By O’Neill
The Ballito Pro Presented By O’Neill holds a competition window through Sunday, July 9, 2023. The competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL’s YouTube channel, and the free WSL app. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners.

The Ballito Pro pres. by O’Neill is proudly supported by O’Neill, KwaDukuza Municipality, Surfing South Africa, SMG Rocks, Monster Energy, North Coast Courier, Coco de Mer and Fiamma Grill.

For more information, visit WorldSurfLeague.com

• Challenger Series see’s Massive Day as Field Narrowed Down At Ballito Pro
• Goofy-footers Duru, Vaast and Silva Delight In Ballito’s Rights
• Vaughan Goes Near-Perfect For Huge Air
• Fitzgibbons, Nichols, Spencer Maintain Momentum
• Baum Fueled By Home Crowd Support And Local Knowledge

BALLITO, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Tuesday, 4 July 2023) – A big day of competition at the Ballito Pro presented by O’Neill, Stop No.3 on the World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series (CS) saw the field narrowed down, completing the Men’s Round of 64 and Women’s Round of 32.

It was another clean, offshore start to the morning and the swell started to build, doubling in size by the afternoon with the westerly wind picking up and creating choppy conditions on the four-to-five foot wave faces.

Goofy-footers Duru, Vaast and Silva Delight In Ballito’s Rights

The rights were lining up perfectly for the goofy-footers to showcase their fine-tuned backhand skills. Former Championship Tour (CT) surfer Joan Duru (FRA) got to work in the first heat of the day, staying low and throwing lots of spray into the morning light with his backhand, getting the job done and securing the win.

“I’m really happy I could surf this morning because the wind yesterday wasn’t so good, but now it’s kind of pumping, I’m stoked,” Duru reacted. “I’ve been coming here since the first prime event in 2009 and I really like it here, eating good meat every night, really nice people and the waves are strong.”

In another French affair, Tahitian Kauli Vaast (FRA) patiently built his scores until he found a great wave for a tight turn in the pocket, throwing his fins out the back and swooping over the closeout for a 7.33 (out of a possible 10) snatching the lead from Maxime Huscenot (FRA). Timothe Bisso (FRA) scored an excellent 8.60, going vertical in the critical part of the wave and speeding down the line to meet the section head-on. Only needing a small score to advance, Bisso sneaked into second eliminating Huscenot and Kian Martin (SWE).

Deivid Silva (BRA) surfed a smart heat, with consistent top-to-bottom surfing and strong finishing maneuvers. A former winner in Ballito, Silva scored a 7.00 straight out of the gates and controlled the rest of the heat to make his way to the Round of 32.

Vaughan Goes Near-Perfect For Huge Air

Joel Vaughan (AUS) was already in the lead with a 7.50 when he opted to go left on his backhand, racing down the line with just one thing on his mind. Vaughan boosted a massive aerial maneuver with a clean landing for the highest score of the event so far, a near-perfect 9.83 and the highest heat total of the event 17.33 (out of a possible 20).

“I tried an air earlier and fell, so I was in fourth priority and thought I might as well just go for it,” Vaughan reflected. “I had some speed and saw a sick section, but I think I had my eyes closed a bit so I didn’t know how high I went. I was so stoked to hear the score, so I just told myself don’t get an interference and everything should be good.”

California Crew Andino, Young Continue Charge, Houshmand Follows Suit

Fitzgibbons, Nichols and Spencer Maintain Momentum

“It’s just an awesome adrenaline rush, even after all these years,” Fitzgibbons said. “We’ve had a few days to warm up and watching all the surfing the past few days, the energy is in your feet and you’re ready to surf. It’s good to have that outlet and run into the heat, and it was awesome to have a start like that. It’s been a minute since I’ve last been here but it’s such a pleasure to be back.”

The current Top 5 on the CS rankings will see a big shuffle, with no.1 India Robinson (AUS) not competing in this event, and a surprise elimination today for Sawyer Lindblad (USA) and Teresa Bonvalot (POR). Joining Fitzgibbons in the Round of 16 is current no.3 Isabella Nichols (AUS) and no.5 Alyssa Spencer (AUS).

Baum Fueled By Home Crowd Support And Local Knowledge

“I noticed the wave starting to work off the rock just before I paddled out for my heat and got that first one straight off the bat which kind of set me up for the rest of the heat,” Baum responded. “The support on the beach is incredible and it’s just so good to sleep in my old bed at home, with my Mom making dinner, I’m stoked to be here.”

Baum and Daniel Emslie (RSA) are the last two remaining South Africans in the event.

The next call will be on Wednesday, 5 July at 7:00 a.m. SAST for a possible 7:35 a.m. start.