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South Africa’s Sarah Baum crowned the Ballito Women’s Pro presented by O’Neill winner after a full day of surfing. The finals day started with trying and tricky conditions, but improved with a strong offshore and 0.5 – 1 metre waves.
Sarah Baum
Sarah Baum was the lone South African in the 4-women Final against Leilani McGonagle (CRI), Anne dos Santos (BRA) and Rachel Presti (GER). It was an exciting final that saw the lead change between McGonagle and Baum, with a tight wave exchange right until the end. The judges took their time to compare the last waves, but in the end, Baum won with a total of 13 points, bumping McGonagle into 2nd place. Presti finished 3rd and Dos Santos in 4th.
Leilani McGonagle
Rachel Presti was off to a blistering start in the first Semifinal, opening her account with a 7.25 for two critical manoeuvres on a beautiful right-hander. Presti backed it up quickly with a 5.25 to take the lead. Anne dos Santos was chasing Presti with a 6.75 and 5.45. Goofy-footer Zoë Steyn was stuck in combination situation and couldn’t find any decent waves until the end, but it was a little too late. Presti and Dos Santos advanced to the Final, eliminating Steyn and Lucia Martino.
Rachel Presti
The second Semifinal featured two South Africans, Ceara Knight and Sarah Baum up against Pacha Luque-Light and Leilani McGonagle. Luque-Light was leading the heat with a 4.50 and a 2.75, but McGonagle came back strongly to take the lead with a 6.00 and 5.00 with 5 minutes left on the clock. After a slow start, Baum jumped from fourth to first, going right and throwing two powerful hacks for 8.25 and then found a left-hander to take the win with a 6.35, for a total of 14.60. McGonagle was in 2nd, sending Luque-Light and Knight home.
Anne dos Santos
Ballito Women’s Pro Final Results
1st Sarah Baum 13.00
2nd Leilani McGonagle 12.20
3rd Rachel Presti 9.90
4th Anne dos Santos 7.60
Photos by WSL/ Janssens.
