Major surf festival for Ballito next month

THE world’s longest running professional sur ng event will celebrate its Golden Jubilee in KwaDukuza this year when many of the world’s best surfers will take to the surf in the Ballito Pro at Willard Beach on 25 June.

The event that started out as the Durban 500 in 1969, evolved into the Gunston 500 in 1971, became the Mr Price Pro in 2000 and nally moved to Ballito in 2009, has always been a key event on the annual World Surf League (formerly ASP) schedule.

For the tenth consecutive year the region will host the world’s best men in a WSL Qualifying Series (QS) 10 000 rated event with a prize pool of R3.1-million and the highest available ranking points at stake.

The women will showcase their talent in the QS 1 000 Ballito Women’s Pro while the historic 21st edition of the Billabong Junior Series includes events for men and women aged 18 and under at Ballito for the third year.