Big boost for Ballito Pro
2019 event promises to be bigger than ever, with a host of on-shore activities on offer
THE Ballito Pro, the world’s longest running professional surfing event will soon welcome O’Neill as the new presenting sponsor when it enters its sixth decade of attracting the world’s top surfers to compete in South Africa in June.
With the event’s roots in the Gunston 500 and the Mr Price Pro, and now for the eleventh consecutive year, the region will host a Qualifying Series (QS) 10,000 rated event for men with the highest possible qualifying points on the international rankings at stake.
The Ballito Pro will again be a key event on the World Surf League (WSL) schedule, showcasing the best juniors, women and men at Willard Beach in KwaDukuza from June 27-July 7.
It will also be the cornerstone event of the continent’s biggest beach festival. The women will again display their talent in the QS1,000 Ballito Women’s Pro while the inaugural O’Neill Pro Junior includes events for men and women aged 18 and under at Ballito for the first time.
“As the KwaDukuza Municipality we are jovial to be hosting the renowned Ballito Pro,” said the Mayor of KwaDukuza, Cllr Ricardo Mthembu. “We wish to thank O’Neill for taking the baton of being the new presenting sponsor – thank you for believing in this magnificent event, which has succeeded in its task as a nation building platform and a catalyst for introducing this sport to rural communities.”
This year’s edition of the Pro will be bigger and better than ever with its new partner excited to be involved in one of the world’s icon watersports events. “We are proud to be coming on board as the presenting sponsor for the Ballito Pro,” said Paul Canning, O’Neill South Africa Brand Director.
“The event has such an amazing history in South African surfing and has been an instrumental platform in getting our local professional surfers onto the world surfing stage for over five decades.
“We look forward to building a long relationship with the KwaDukuza Municipality and presenting another world class surfing festival.”
Last year’s men’s field included a dozen of the world’s elite WSL Championship Tour (CT) surfers and was won by Brazilian Peterson Crisanto who, along with runner-up Jack Freestone (AUS), went on to qualify for the prestigious 2019 CT thanks to the huge haul of ranking points they both earned at Ballito. The Ballito Pro Surf Festival kicks off with the Pro Junior from June 27-30 before the crown jewel of the festival, the QS10,000 Ballito Pro, and the QS1,000 Ballito Women’s Pro take centre stage from Monday through Sunday, July 1-7.
Alongside the surfing, visitors will be spoiled for choice with non-stop activities providing even more entertainment throughout the Ballito festival site.
South Africa’s hottest musical acts appealing to all tastes – rock, pop, hip hop, kwaito, electro and dance – will be performing live on Salt Rock Beach over the final weekend. Beach and extreme sports, culinary contests as well as retail and food stalls will attract further visitors to the region.