BALLITO, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Friday, June 28, 2024) - Laura Raupp (BRA) and Jarvis Earle (AUS) won the World Surf League O'Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior today at Willard Beach, Ballito. Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) and Kai Martin (HAW) finished runners-up respectively. All four surfers used this event as an opportunity to practice and dial in their equipment ahead of the Ballito Open Qualifying Series (QS) 1,000 and the Ballito Pro presented by O'Neill Challenger Series.
Laura Raupp - WSL / Kody McGregor
Laura Raupp Starts Ballito Campaign On The Right Foot
The women's Final endured really tricky, onshore conditions with the peaks of the waves shifting all over the lineup, making wave selection critical. Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) was on fire during the whole event and got off to a quick start, finding the better waves and building on her score. Laura Raupp (BRA) waited out the back for better opportunities needing only a small score, but it wasn't until the final few minutes when she locked in a 5-point ride which was enough to snatch the win over Etxabarri.
"I'm super happy to be here, it's my third time in Ballito," Raupp said. "I'm happy to get the win in the Pro Junior, starting on the right foot ahead of the QS and the Ballito Pro Challenger Series and I'm feeling really good."
"The final was pretty hard, the conditions weren't helping!" Raupp said. "I was happy to be in the final with Annette, another European surfer who rips. The heat before I surfed with Anon who is a really good friend and she also rips, but I'm glad I found the best wave and could show my surfing to everyone."
Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri - WSL / Kody McGregor
Laura Raupp (BRA) defeated the defending women's winner Anon Matsuoka (JPN) in their Semifinal matchup, when Matsuoka fell just short of making it to another final. Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) dispatched Lily Heny (RSA) in their Semifinal clash. Heny was the top performing South African in the event, but couldn't find any decent rides in the Semifinal which saw Etxabarri lock in a consecutive Pro Junior Final appearance.
"I feel super happy," Etxabarri said after her runner-up finish. "It was really tricky, but I feel good, I was competing in this event to prepare for the upcoming Ballito Open QS 1,000."
Jarvis Earle - WSL / Pierre Tostee
Jarvis Earle Posts Highest Heat Total In Final
The men's Final got off to a slow start in the tough conditions, but it was Kian Martin who posted the first excellent score on the board with an 8.67 (out of a possible 10) to put the pressure on Jarvis Earle (AUS). Earle struggled to find decent scoring opportunities, but kept searching up and down the break.
With less than 10 minutes to go, Earle found a great wave to unleash three massive backhand turns and got rewarded with the highest single wave score of the event, a 9.33. Fired up, he found another wave, identifying a section to go to the air and completing a critical landing for a 7.83. Martin needed another excellent score, but there weren't any other opportunities coming his way and Earle secured the win with a total of 17.16 (out of a possible 20), the highest heat total of the event.
"It was tricky out there and Kai started off with an 8 so I was behind from the start," Earle reflected. "It felt good to get that 9-point ride, especially because it was under priority. I'm stoked I got a few good ones and came away with the win in the end."
"I've had a few good results this year, it would be nice to crack a good result in the Challenger Series and set myself up for the rest of the year, so hopefully I can get that done," Earle said.
Earle relished the onshore conditions in the first men's Semifinal, finding the perfect ramps to launch into the air and defeated Shion Crawford (HAW). The matchup between Jaime Veselko (POR) and Kai Martin (HAW) looked like it was going to swing Veselko's way, when Martin came back in the end to book his spot in the Finals.
Kai Martin - WSL / Kody McGregor
"Our final was a really good heat," Martin said. "We got really good opportunities, and I could start off strong. I had priority when Jarvis got that 9, and I should've probably been there to block him. I have to learn from that and I'm just stoked to get some reps in the Pro Junior. I feel good, especially making it to the final so I'm excited for the Challenger Series," Martin said.
Competitors will now reset and prepare for the Ballito Open presented by Flojos QS 1,000 which starts tomorrow and runs through to 30 June, before the Challenger Series kicks off on 1 July.