South African women’s surfing champion Anastasia Venter (RSA) came into this event knowing that she has a lot of work to do if she wants to qualify for the WSL World Junior Championships at Pollok Beach in Gqeberha on Sunday, 15 September, 2024.
With her mind set on this goal, Venter was on a roll from the start of the event. Venter won all her heats in a convincing fashion, but she had to overcome the challenge of WSL Africa Junior rankings leader Lily Heny (RSA) in the Final.
Heny, in her second JQS final, has enjoyed a very consistent run of results. After having to grind through a few tough heats at this event, Heny made sure to lock in the first score in the final. Venter responded with a better mid-range score, but quickly improved on this with a 5.33.
Heny struggled to find better scoring opportunities, while Venter found the best wave of the heat and earned a 6.17 for a total of 11.50. Despite taking the lead, Venter stayed busy to ensure Heny didn’t get a chance to take the win from her, and it played in her favour earning her first-ever JQS title.
“I was stoked to make the finals, because I knew I wasn’t that high on the rankings,”
World Surf League Nelson Mandela Bay Pro Junior 1,000 Champion, Anastasia Venter
“When I made it, I just told myself to go out there and surf my best, I tried to catch a lot of waves and get good scores. It was my first JQS final and to take out the win, I’m obviously very happy. It was a great event, thanks to everyone who made it happen.”
In the women’s Semifinals, Heny and Aimee de Preez (RSA) battled with the slow and small conditions and Heny once again had to work hard to get the win.
Similarly in Venter’s Semifinal heat against youngster Leah Lepront (RSA), there weren’t a lot of opportunities at the start. In the final few minutes there were a flurry of waves and Venter got the best score of the heat to book a spot in the Final.
As the third and final stop for the 2024 season, the Nelson Mandela Bay Pro Junior saw South Africa’s Lily Heny crowned the WSL Africa Regional Junior winner for 2024.
Heny finished on top of the rankings to earn her ticket to compete against the best juniors in the world at the WSL World Junior Championships.
Women’s WSL Africa Regional Junior Rankings
1. Lily Heny
2. Anastasia Venter
3. Leah Lepront
3. Louise Lepront
5. Adriel Wolmarans
Original Copy: WSL Africa, with editing by gsport.
Main Photo Caption: Anastasia Venter on her way to victory in her first JQS Final, at the Nelson Mandela Bay Pro Junior in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape on Sunday, 15 September, 2024. Photo: WSL / McGregor
Photo 2 Caption: Venter beat WSL Africa Junior Rankings leader Lily Heny for her first-ever Pro Junior title in Gqeberha on Sunday. Photo: WSL / McGregor
Photo 3 Caption: After taking the lead, Venter stayed busy to ensure Heny didn’t get a chance to take the win from her, earning her first-ever JQS title. Photo: WSL / McGregor
Photo 4 Caption: WSL Africa Junior Rankings leader Lily Heny was crowned the WSL Africa Junior winner for 2024. Photo: WSL / McGregor
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