Media Release: Sunday, 24 February 2008

Kyle Beach clinched his first Pro Junior (U20) title in theR230 00 Billabong Junior series when he scored a narrow victory over Klee Strachan in the man-on-man final held in excellent overhead surf at St Michaels-on-Sea on Sunday. Windless conditions and a swell that reached two metres at times provided the perfect platform for SA’s junior surf stars to cut loose, and they did, sending sheets of spray flying in all directions from futuristic manoeuvres with numerous rides scored in the excellent range.

Beach, 18, from the Durban suburb of Queensburgh, compiled a two wave total of 15.75 points (out of 20), going into the last 90 seconds of the cracker-jack final, leaving Strachan needing a near perfect 9.5 point ride for victory.

The former two-time SA national team captain, who turned 19 during the event, displayed his fighting spirit by throwing caution to wind and performing a series of critical manoeuvres on a long ride coming agonisingly close to grabbing the victory when he was awarded 9.25.

Now requiring just 6.25 with 60 seconds remaining, Strachan furiously paddled back out through the powerful rip current and caught another wave right on the final siren. Milking every inch of the wave Strachan again came up just short when the judges rewarded him with 5.75 and Beach pocketed the R3 500 winner’s cheque and the early ratings lead in the five-event series.

Beach had earlier defeated reigning series champion Rudy Palmboom Jnr (Bluff) in their semifinal while Strachan overcame the challenge of last year’s runner-up, Casey Grant (Scottburgh), to reach the final.

The U16 final resembled a hospital ward with eventual winner Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga) capturing his first series event title despite sporting 10 stitches and huge bandage over his cut ear while third placed Dane Staples (St Francis Bay) competed wearing a protective bootie over the stitches in his right foot.

De Vries put together rides of 7.9 and 7.5 to record a convincing win over Davey Brand (Kommetjie) who scored 6.0 and 7.5 with those two well ahead of Staples and fourth placed David van Zyl (Glenashley, Durban).

The U14 final was another impressive display of the country’s emerging talent with Capetonian Diran Zakarian (Melkbosstrand) posting a narrow 13.25 vs. 13.0 point victory over Steven Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay), both of whom moved up from the U12 division this year. Last year’s U12 series champ, Slade Prestwich from Scottburgh, also reached the final and held onto third place ahead of Kommetjie’s Jarred Veldhuis.

Stockily built Benji Brand completely dominated the U12 final, opening his account with an outstanding 8.5 and then leaving his opponents comboed and needing 17.51 points from the eight minute mark when he tore his next wave apart for a 9.0. And the reigning USA 11-and-under champion didn’t let up there, receiving 7.0 and 8.0 for further rides during the final.

Fellow Kommetjie resident, close friend and 2006 series champ Max Armstrong, who only turned 12 last week, claimed the runner-up spot. Simo Mkhize, 10, from nearby Umzumbe and Jordy Maree, 9, from Tokai, ended third and fourth respectively in their first appearance in a series final.

The Von Zipper Air Show featured another explosive showcase of aerial surfing and the R2 000 winner-takes-all prize-purse went to Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay) for a huge forehand air where he and his surfboard flew at least a metre above the lip of the wave before landing successfully.

The next event in the Billabong Junior Series is scheduled for Durban (24-27 April) followed by Cape Town (8-11 May) and Victoria Bay in the Southern Cape (7-10 August) before concluding in Jeffreys Bay (18-21 September) where the series champions will be crowned for the 12th successive year.

FULL RESULTS Pro Junior (U/20) Boys 1. Kyle Beach (Queensburgh) 2. Klee Strachan (Winkelspruit) 3. Rudy Palmboom Jnr (Bluff) 3. Casey Grant (Scottburgh) 5. Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga) 5. Kyle Lane (Umhlanga) 5.Brendon Gibbens (Kommetjie) 5. Chad du Toit (Berea, Durban)	U/16 Boys 1.Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga) 2. Davey Brand (Kommetjie) 3.Dane Staples (St Francis Bay) 4. David van Zyl (Durban)	U/14 Boys 1.Diran Zakarian (Melkbosstrand) 2.Steven Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay) 3.Slade Prestwich (Scottburgh) 4. Jarred Veldhuis (Kommetjie)
U/12 Boys 1. Benji Brand (Kommetjie) 2. Max Armstrong (Kommetjie) 3.Simo Mkhize (Umzumbe, SKZN) 4. Jordy Maree (Tokai, CT)	Von Zipper Air Show 1. Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay)
The Billabong Junior Series is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), the national controlling body for the sport, and the ratings points earned also count towards the annual SSA Pro Surf Tour (PST) rankings. The series is proudly supported by First National Bank, Palmers, Kustom and Von Zipper.
All images by Clinton Theron / Silverbullet First National Bank is a division of FirstRand Bank Limited Issued on behalf of: Billabong South Africa Tel:       042 200 2600 Fax:     042 293 2478 Email:   laureen.payne@billabong.co.za Compiled & Issued by: Life's a Beach Communications PO Box 48272, Kommetjie, 7976 South Africa Tel / Fax:     +27 (0) 21 783 4965 Mobile:        +27 (0) 82 423 1964 Email:          lifesabeach@mweb.co.za