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Insights from the first two days of surfing action from the Billabong Junior Series presented by BOS, event 1.
Magnatubes is something of a forgotten stepsister in JBay. She came out from behind the curtain over the past two days however in what will go down as some of the most epic days of junior contest surfing in SA.
Josh ‘Dutchie’ Louw, commentator spends his day in the tower talking story with Kai Linder and has his eyes on the action all day long. We quizzed him for some insights:
ON CONDITIONS
I was expecting tricky conditions as it’s a tricky little wave with fast closing-out waves…that sort of thing. I always thought the kids were going to struggle to adjust to that, but I was wrong. Pleasantly surprised really. It was one of the best days of competition I’ve ever experienced in my life.
ON THE INTERNATIONALS
The addition of the internationals was one of the best things ever. It lifted the standard of the locals and they were lifted as well. This one is in the history books for South African surfing.
Their whole game is just on another level. The way they carry themselves at the beach, they’re like young pros.
ON THE STANDOUTS
Slade Prestwich (even though he failed to advance due to not catching a wave in the last minute), Griffin Calapinto, Eithan Osborne… so many good guys. Too many to mention, really.
ON THE OUTLOOK FOR THE WEEK
Two 10’s on the first day of competition is really unheard of. Even though the forecast doesn’t look too promising it was a good momentum builder. Obviously waves dictate surfing, but not performance.
ON THE WAVE OF THE DAY
Matt McGillivray did the singular best manoeuvre of the day on day one, but my favourite wave was Eithan Osborne’s 9.8. That was stupendous.
ON WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR
I am biased toward the South Africans of course, but Dylan Lightfoot and Matt McGillivray are tailored toward these kind of conditions. Plus, it’s their home town, if you were a betting man, those would be your safe bets.
SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN’S SURFING IS IN GOOD HANDS
Day two saw some tricky conditions with an early northwesterly cross-shore wind, which went onshore later. Jeffreys Bay’s Kai Woolf was unfazed however,and used her local knowledge to make the most of the sectiony conditions on her backhand. The fourteen-year-old dynamo competed in both the U14 and U16 girls divisions and convincingly won both her heats. I can’t wait to see her in good waves.
The event continues today. Live updates on Twitter @BillabongSA, and on Billabong’s Facebook Page.
Photos by Ian Thurtell
