The MR Price Pro Ballito will go down in surfing history as one of the best events yet on the ASP World Tour. It’s a bold claim and one that every event sponsor wants to lay claim to. But when the claim is made by many of the top surfers in the world then the statement needs little justification.
The ASP World Tour competitors were making direct reference to the waves in Ballito last week, nothing more and nothing less. Surfing fans could only agree with their heroes because what happened last week was very, very special.
From a surfing point of view, the “planets aligned” and everything came together. The swell direction, the swell size, the sandbanks and the wind all morphed together to produce a spectacle that will live in the hearts and minds for many forever.
Young American star Kalohe Andino, fresh off his win at the Quiksilver US Championships, was the first to comment on phenomenal conditions. “I was thinking that these are some of the best waves I have ever surfed in my life, free surfing or in competition. The waves were just unbelievable.”
Andino kicked off his Ballito campaign, just as he did two weeks ago at the US Champs, with an amazing perfect 10-point ride that made waves around the surfing world for the rising star on the first day of the competition.
And the 10-pointers just kept coming through to the the final day when Brazilian backhander Jesse Mendes stood tall and proud in one of the heaviest barrels of the event.
Throughout the event, one surfer who continually blew minds was teen sensation John John Florence from Hawaii. Florence relied on his Hawaiian roots to charge the biggest and most dangerous Ballito barrels and was well rewarded.
Only the event winner, Californian Pat Gudauskas, could put the brakes on the Hawaiian charger. And he too was full of praise for what went down in Ballito.
“This is definitely the best event I’ve ever competed in and maybe the best one I’ve ever watched,” said a jubilant Gudauskas just minutes after being soaked in champagne by runner-up Florence. “It has been flawless for a whole week and we’re all psyched to be in Ballito.”
The ASP World Tour now heads to Jeffreys Bay for the Billabong Pro (July 14-24) where Durbanite Jordy Smith will be out to defend his title.
Ballito was a great warm-up for the world number two star and after he came so close to defending his Mr Price Pro title, all of South Africa will be willing Smith on to clinch gold at Supertubes once again.