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KELLY CESTARI
The Home of
urfing
SWith water temperatures ranging between 20 0 C and 25 0 C year
round, an annual world-class surfing event and top-notch waves,
the KwaDukuza coastline is a burgeoning surfers’ mecca.
Ballito Pro surfing event
Willard Beach in Ballito has hosted the world’s longest
running professional surfing competition since 2009 –
the Ballito Pro – along with the biggest beach festival on
the continent, the Ballito Pro Festival. For one temperate
winter week in June/July, approximately 130 000
festival-goers have an opportunity to soak up non-stop
entertainment, watch the world’s best surfers in action
and witness first hand why KwaDukuza is fast becoming
KwaZulu-Natal’s home of surfing.
In 2017, surfing’s elite performers will return to compete
in this QS10 000 rated event on the World Surf League
(WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) for the ninth consecutive
year. Two years ago saw the return of women to the
surfing contest for the first time since 2008, with the
internationally rated Ballito Women’s Pro, presented by
Billabong. Those competing in the Ballito Women’s Pro
earn prize money and points on both the international and
regional rankings, while the competitors 18 and under
in the Billabong Junior Series strive for the prestigious
event titles and selection for the WSL Africa squad that is
invited to the annual WSL World Junior Championships.
The third of nine events that carry the highest ranking on this
year’s QS, the Ballito Pro offers a US$260 000 prize purse. It
will feature a 120-man field of the world’s best surfers from
around the globe, all striving to qualify for a spot on next
year’s WSL Championship Tour (CT). Competitors will also
be competing for valuable speciality prizes in the Monster
Energy Expression session and the Wave of the week,
presented by Zig Zag.
KELLY CESTARI
Men’s Ballito Pro 2016 winner Connor O’Leary.
U16 Girl winners at
the 2016 Ballito Pro.
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KwaDukuza Visitor’s Guide 2017/2018
KELLY CESTARI