A Classic up the Weskus

THREE OF A KIND: Cannelle Bulard (Reunion), Matt McGillivray and Eli Beukes. Photo Thurtell

Matt McGillivray, Cannelle Bulard (Reunion) and Eli Beukes won their Men’s, Women’s and Junior Men’s titles respectively in high-scoring encounters as YoYos delivered pumping 6-8 foot waves in clean offshore conditions though the wind freshened into a Southerly crosswind later.

The men’s event was upgraded to a World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 1,500 rating for 2018. The final saw Jeffreys Bay buddies and training partners Dylan Lightfoot and Matt McGillivray go head to head with Lightfoot starting the stronger, leaving McGillivray needing to better 14 points before he’d even caught a good wave.

The QS1,000 women’s final was a tightly contested encounter that was only decided in the dying seconds when Reunion Island’s former star Cannelle Bulard posted a 7.0, the highest scoring ride of the 25 minute matchup against Nicole Pallet (La Lucia), the WSL Africa rankings leader.

YOYOS PUMPING: After giant surf on Friday, the event went back to Yoyos. Photo Thurtell

The Junior Qualifying Series (JQS) 1,000 event for men 18-and-under was a first JQS win for Eli Beukes, and a home win of sorts. He grew up in Lamberts Bay, but now reside with his family in Kommetjie. Beukes beat all comers to clinch a title he had wanted to win for years by successfully landing a Hail-Mary aerial manoeuvre after the siren had sounded.

Like the men’s event, the junior draw resulted in four South Africans and four internationals in the last eight. Beukes defeated Dylan Groen (Germany) in the final after accounting Eduardo Motta (Brazil) in the semis. Groen needed an excellent 8.25 and a 7.50 in his semi-final to oust Brazilian Daniel Templar, who had delivered the highest score of Day 1’s action.

The 2018 Vans Surf pro Classic will be remembered for the huge surf that forced the organisers to move the action inside the shelter of the harbour wall on Friday, and for the outstanding surfing and exceptionally high scores when the event was moved back to YoYo’s on Saturday and Sunday.

Full results and more content is available at www.worldsurfleague.com

VERTICAL ALIGNMENT: Dylan Groen from Germany gets radical in the pocket. Photo Thurtell

Men’s QS1,500 Final Results
1. Matt McGillivray (Jeffreys Bay) 19.15, R40,000, 1,500 pts
2. Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay) 15.70, R20,000, 1,125 pts

Women’s QS1,000 Final Results
1. Cannelle Bulard (Reunion Island) 11.75, R8,000, 1,000 pts
2. Nicole Pallet (La Lucia) 8.40, R4000, 750 pts

Junior Men’s JQS1,000 Final Results
1. Eli Beukes (Kommetjie) 12.40, R8,000, 1,000 pts
2. Dylan Groen (Germany) 9.80, R4,000, 750 pts

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