News Release
20 June 2025
Top Junior Surfers Heading To Ballito For The O’Neill SMTH Shapes Rookie Rippers Event
– Rookie Rippers To Kick Off The Ballito Pro 2025
– Featuring U12 – U18 boys’ and girls’ divisions.
– To be followed by O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior
Willard Beach, Ballito – The O’Neill SMTH Shapes Rookie Rippers is all set to take place at Willard Beach from 22 – 24 June 2025.
This junior event features the top junior surfers in the country, competing in SAST U12-U18 boys’ and girls’ divisions and signifies the start of the Ballito Pro 2025.
The Ballito Pro, Presented by O’Neill, is an international surf and lifestyle event hosted in Ballito, the jewel of KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast.
Matt Canning (Durban) © Dave Lindemann
With a maximum entry, the Rookie Rippers event will have three full days of surfing at Willard Beach. There is a promising forecast of great conditions for the event, and spectators can expect loads of entertaining surfing over the three days.
“O’Neill is very proud again to kick off this year’s Ballito Pro with the O’Neill SMTH Shapes Rookie Rippers event, and we are very stoked to partner with SMTH Shapes in this amazing junior event, which will see the best junior surfers from around the country compete in Ballito,”said O’Neill South Africa Brand Director Paul Canning.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for these young juniors to compete on the big stage, just before the Challenger Series event, and an opportunity to free surf with and learn from all the international surfers that will be competing a few days after the junior event. The swell is looking great for the window period of the Rookie Rippers, and we should see some incredible surfing from the best juniors from around the country.”
Luc Lepront (Scottburgh) © Dave Lindemann
Reza De Nicker, Surfing South Africa’s General Manager, was equally buoyant about the upcoming event. “Surfing South Africa is incredibly stoked to be plugged into the oldest running surfing contest in the world, and to have the O’Neill SMTH Shapes Rookie Rippers form part of it is just incredible,” said De Nicker.
“Our surfers get the best exposure at an event like this. With pros flying into Ballito ahead of the Challenger Series event, our up-and-coming groms get to rub shoulders with the pros in and out of the water.”
All the top junior surfers in the country will be in attendance to bolster their SAST rankings. Willard Beach is a well-liked wave amongst junior surfers, and the high-performance, predominantly right-breaking waves provide the perfect canvas for these surfers to impress the Surfing South Africa judging panel and win valuable rating points and prize money.
The judging criteria are based on speed, power, and flow, and judges are always looking for combination moves and progressive surfing techniques.
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Competitors can find the event draw on LIVEHEATS.
The full Ballito Pro presented by O’Neill festival calendar can be found HERE.
Complimentary high-res images are available for media outlets.
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For O’Neill SMTH Shapes Rookie Rippers media enquiries and photo requests:
Craig Jarvis:
e. craig@truthcollective.co.za
t. 082 376 4443
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For Surfing South Africa enquiries or event details:
SSA General Manager Reza De Nicker:
e. reza@surfingsouthafrica.co.za
t. 079 373 1964
Ends./
About Surfing South Africa
Surfing South Africa is the official National Federation for Surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Confederation of Sport and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and is recognised as the governing body by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
Surfing South Africa is responsible for developing the sport, hosting National tournaments, sanctioning International events, and selecting National teams in all SSA disciplines. SSA is a member of the African Surfing Confederation (ASC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA), the sport’s World governing body.
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