LONG BEACH, Kommetjie, Cape Town (Saturday, 16 March 2024) - It was a massive day of competition for the start of the World Surf League (WSL) Cape Town Surf Pro Qualifying Series (QS) 1,000, completing four rounds of competition in two-to-three foot waves and strong offshore winds. The Women's and Men's Semifinalists were determined, and the next call will be on Sunday, March 17 at 7:00 AM for a possible 7:30 AM start.
Natasha van Greunen - WSL / Kody McGregor
Top Seeds Natasha van Greunen and Jessie van Niekerk Storm Into Semifinals
Reigning WSL Africa Regional QS champion Natasha van Greunen (RSA) stormed into the Semifinals, taking out the first women's Quarterfinal heat of the day. Van Greunen got off to a good start, opting to go right and cranking out a strong bottom turn to set up her next maneuver, driving into the oncoming section and riding it out for a 7-point ride (out of a possible 10). Biding her time to find a decent wall in the shifty conditions, Van Greunen found a great backup of 6.33 for a total of 13.33 (out of a possible 20).
"It feels good to build some confidence with a heat win," Van Greunen reacted. "There's always some nerves with the first event of the season. It was actually tricky out there today with a lot of shifty waves. Sometimes it looks like the wave is approaching you and then it just disappears underneath you, so I just concentrated on picking the right waves. I've had a lot of training days out here. It's a very consistent break so I'm happy to be home and competing in this event."
Jessie van Niekerk - WSL / Kody McGregor
Jessie van Niekerk (RSA) took control of her Quarterfinal heat against the dynamic youngster Louise Lepront (RSA) and Kommetjie-local Emily Winter (RSA) from the buzzer, squeezing in a two-turn combo and navigating the unforgiving shorebreak for a 6.67. After struggling to find a decent wave, Lepront was rewarded with a 6.17 for one huge turn into a meaty section and hanging on to ride it out cleanly. Sparks were flying in the dying minutes when Lepront, only needing a small score, found a wave to speed down the line and throw down a big layback hack. However, Van Niekerk was up and riding right behind her with a big wall ahead, completing three powerful carves and committing to the end section to ride it out for a 6.23 to take out the win.
"The conditions really turned on today, it was a lot of fun," Van Niekerk said. "I'm really glad we could get going with an event this year and I'm excited to take out my first heat win. It feels like we've been preparing for ages and then you just get so antsy just to get started, so it feels great to be here today."
Luke Thompson - WSL / Kody McGregor
Stacked Heats Deliver Big Performances from Luke Thompson, Paul Sampson
The first men's Quarterfinal was a stacked heat with an incredible display of power surfing from WSL Africa Regional QS champion Luke Thompson (RSA). Thompson turned up the heat on a long righthander, throwing down four huge turns and completing the wave on the rocks for an excellent 8.50 and backing it up with a 5.50 for a total of 14.00. Local knowledge paid off for Brad Scott, who snuck into second place with his sharp surfing, eliminating veteran QS competitor Chad Du Toit from Durban and East London's Daniel Emslie.
"I was nervous going into that, it was a stacked heat," Thompson admitted. "I just wanted to go in and focus on myself, get a quick start and go from there. I wasn't even going to look at the righthand waves, but my friend Connor Slijpen who was in the previous heat told me to look at the rights. I was in second priority and this right came out of nowhere and it just kept on giving, so it felt really good. I want to make it all the way, this is a crucial event to qualify for the Challenger Series," Thompson said.
Muizenberg's Paul Sampson (RSA) switched into pilot mode in his Quarterfinal heat and put on an impressive airshow, utilising the pumping offshore to boost huge full rotation maneuvers and landing in front of the white water to ride it out successfully.
"I haven't had such a good result in a while," Sampson said. "I feel like I'm on the proper boards at the moment and I'm just going to try and keep the positive energy going. The wind is really good for the airs if you time it right. I managed to get two 7-point rides, so I'm stoked."
Redouane Regragui - WSL / Kody McGregor
Morocco's Redouane Regragui lead the international contingent with an equal 13th place finish after a tightly contested Quarterfinal heat. Aboubakar Bouaouda (MAR) and Toky Joe Kennedy Ravelomanantsoa (MDG) were both eliminated in the Round of 32, while Mozambique's Nelson Nhamona failed to advance in his Opening Round heat.
The next call for the Cape Town Surf Pro will be on Sunday, 17 March at 07:00 AM local time for a possible 7:30 AM start.
Long Beach Turns On For Massive Day Of Competition At Cape Town Surf Pro
WSL
LONG BEACH, Kommetjie, Cape Town (Saturday, 16 March 2024) - It was a massive day of competition for the start of the World Surf League (WSL) Cape Town Surf Pro Qualifying Series (QS) 1,000, completing four rounds of competition in two-to-three foot waves and strong offshore winds. The Women's and Men's Semifinalists were determined, and the next call will be on Sunday, March 17 at 7:00 AM for a possible 7:30 AM start.
Top Seeds Natasha van Greunen and Jessie van Niekerk Storm Into Semifinals
Reigning WSL Africa Regional QS champion Natasha van Greunen (RSA) stormed into the Semifinals, taking out the first women's Quarterfinal heat of the day. Van Greunen got off to a good start, opting to go right and cranking out a strong bottom turn to set up her next maneuver, driving into the oncoming section and riding it out for a 7-point ride (out of a possible 10). Biding her time to find a decent wall in the shifty conditions, Van Greunen found a great backup of 6.33 for a total of 13.33 (out of a possible 20).
"It feels good to build some confidence with a heat win," Van Greunen reacted. "There's always some nerves with the first event of the season. It was actually tricky out there today with a lot of shifty waves. Sometimes it looks like the wave is approaching you and then it just disappears underneath you, so I just concentrated on picking the right waves. I've had a lot of training days out here. It's a very consistent break so I'm happy to be home and competing in this event."
Jessie van Niekerk (RSA) took control of her Quarterfinal heat against the dynamic youngster Louise Lepront (RSA) and Kommetjie-local Emily Winter (RSA) from the buzzer, squeezing in a two-turn combo and navigating the unforgiving shorebreak for a 6.67. After struggling to find a decent wave, Lepront was rewarded with a 6.17 for one huge turn into a meaty section and hanging on to ride it out cleanly. Sparks were flying in the dying minutes when Lepront, only needing a small score, found a wave to speed down the line and throw down a big layback hack. However, Van Niekerk was up and riding right behind her with a big wall ahead, completing three powerful carves and committing to the end section to ride it out for a 6.23 to take out the win.
"The conditions really turned on today, it was a lot of fun," Van Niekerk said. "I'm really glad we could get going with an event this year and I'm excited to take out my first heat win. It feels like we've been preparing for ages and then you just get so antsy just to get started, so it feels great to be here today."
Stacked Heats Deliver Big Performances from Luke Thompson, Paul Sampson
The first men's Quarterfinal was a stacked heat with an incredible display of power surfing from WSL Africa Regional QS champion Luke Thompson (RSA). Thompson turned up the heat on a long righthander, throwing down four huge turns and completing the wave on the rocks for an excellent 8.50 and backing it up with a 5.50 for a total of 14.00. Local knowledge paid off for Brad Scott, who snuck into second place with his sharp surfing, eliminating veteran QS competitor Chad Du Toit from Durban and East London's Daniel Emslie.
"I was nervous going into that, it was a stacked heat," Thompson admitted. "I just wanted to go in and focus on myself, get a quick start and go from there. I wasn't even going to look at the righthand waves, but my friend Connor Slijpen who was in the previous heat told me to look at the rights. I was in second priority and this right came out of nowhere and it just kept on giving, so it felt really good. I want to make it all the way, this is a crucial event to qualify for the Challenger Series," Thompson said.
Muizenberg's Paul Sampson (RSA) switched into pilot mode in his Quarterfinal heat and put on an impressive airshow, utilising the pumping offshore to boost huge full rotation maneuvers and landing in front of the white water to ride it out successfully.
"I haven't had such a good result in a while," Sampson said. "I feel like I'm on the proper boards at the moment and I'm just going to try and keep the positive energy going. The wind is really good for the airs if you time it right. I managed to get two 7-point rides, so I'm stoked."
Morocco's Redouane Regragui lead the international contingent with an equal 13th place finish after a tightly contested Quarterfinal heat. Aboubakar Bouaouda (MAR) and Toky Joe Kennedy Ravelomanantsoa (MDG) were both eliminated in the Round of 32, while Mozambique's Nelson Nhamona failed to advance in his Opening Round heat.
The next call for the Cape Town Surf Pro will be on Sunday, 17 March at 07:00 AM local time for a possible 7:30 AM start.
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