Billabong Pro Junior presented by Bos - Durban

Dylan Lightfoot soars to victory in both the /18 and /20 Finals.

What a great event and weekend in Durban with Wok and the Groms! Warm water, super fun little waves and some incredible surfing from the SA juniors. Big ups to Bos for supporting SA surfing. I got to spend some quality time with the Billabong team and all I can say is that the future for South African surfing is bright!

Billabong Junior Series (Event #1 of 4)

New Pier, Durban

Results

U20 Boys

1. Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay) R10 000

2. Michael February (Kommetjie)

3. Mickey Venter (Durban)

4. Dane Staples (St Francis Bay)

U20 Girls

1. Heidi Palmboom (Bluff)  R10 000

2. Emma Smith (Jeffreys Bay)

3. Nicole Pallet (Durban)

4. Chanelle Botha (Warner Beach)

U18 Boys

1. Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay)  R5 000

2. Max Armstrong (Scarborough)  R900

3. Ethan Pentz (Kalk Bay)  R600

4. Justin Sykes (Salt Rock)  R500

U18 Girls

1. Chanelle Botha (Warner Beach)  R5 000

2. Nicole Pallet (Durban)  R900

3. Tahra Uren (Jeffreys Bay)  R600

4. Caryn McNicol (Scottburgh)  R500

U16 Boys

1. Jordan Maree (Kalk Bay)  R5 000

2. Tim Baard (Jeffreys Bay)  R900

3. Jerry van Wyk (Jeffreys Bay)  R600

4. Donovan Wichmann (Marina da Gama)  R500

U14 Boys

1. Koby Oberholzer (Durban)  R2 500

2. Adin Masencamp (Strand)  R450

3. Ethan Fletcher (Kommetjie)  R300

4. Rewaldo Abersalie (Jeffreys Bay)  R250

U14 Girls

1. Kai Woolf (Jeffreys Bay)  R2 500

2. Olivia Izzard (Durban)  R450

3. Sophie Bell (Durban)  R300

4. Kirsty McGillivray (Jeffreys Bay)  R250

U12 Boys

1. Max Elkington (Hout Bay)  R2 500

2. Saxton Randall (Durban)  R450

3. Tide Lee Ireland (Durban)  R300

4. Angelo Faulkner (Jeffreys Bay)  R250

VonZipper Flair Up Award – Best Aerial manoeuvre

Diran Zakarian (Melkbosstrand)  R10 000

DaKine Youthful Movement Award – Most progressive surfing

Shane Sykes (Salt Rock)  R10 000

Nixon Winner Takes All (WTA) – Highest heat total

Kai Woolf (Jeffreys Bay) – 19.40 (10.0 + 9.40) out of 20 – Custom engraved Nixon Watch

Yes, I did drop in on you - Durban becomes the Burn Capital

Take that you dirty drop in artist!

I have always been wary of surfing the piers in Durban. Take nothing away from the the quality of the waves, but I don't really enjoy surfing in a huge crowd of aggro locals who drop in on you at the drop of a hat. I mean, I am a 130kg guy and am not really used to being dropped in on, let alone screamed at for even paddling for the wave. Once this happened and the guy wanted to go to the beach, luckily his girl talked him out of it, she was clearly alot brighter and had better eye site than he did. Even the famous and infamous are getting in each others faces these days, just look at the recent confrontation with Burn and Ribbink. The site of two of Durban's most famous surfers slugging it out caused quite a stir. My point is, I would rather go surf up or down the coast where there are plenty of waves going unridden every day - ok, so no shark nets, but sometimes I think I would rather tussle with a Zambo than the ouens at the Piers. You think otherwise? It has gotten so bad even the lifeguards are dropping in on surfers!

Last week Durban had a great run of swell and the circus descended on the Bay. Our man in the know, Jimmy Reynolds, was there to capture the madness.
He says of filming the surf, "I just did this edit to show how all the dudes were burning each other. I got so over it I didn't want to shoot any more that day and probably missed a whole bunch of really good waves. I hope I don't get dropped in on for putting this online..."

Seems in Durban, surf etiquette does not exist.

Watch the footage and make up your own mind. You will notice that no one was exempt, from young spongers, to dolls, to stars such as Twig and  Stan badger - who showed what he thought of the douche bag who ruined his wave. Looks like the aggro vibes are not going anywhere in the Durban lineup.