Sarah Scott has won the World Surf League Cape Town Surf Pro Qualifying Series 1,000 ahead of runner-up Jessie van Niekerk in contestable two-to-three foot surf, at Long Beach, Kommetjie, Cape Town on Sunday, 17 March 2024.
With a dissipating swell and the offshore wind expected to pick up, the Women’s Final got off to a quick start with Kommetjie local Scott first on the board with a 5.83 (out of a possible 10).
Jessie van Niekerk stayed busy under priority to build on her score, squeezing everything out of the smaller waves on offer while Scott, Kira Hofmeyr and Aimee du Preez waited for bigger opportunities to roll through.
Scott’s patience and local knowledge played in her favour when she found the best wave of the heat, staying in the pocket of the wave to crank out four great turns and earn an excellent 8.33, enough to secure her the semifinal win with a total of 14.16 (out of a possible 20). Van Niekerk finished runner-up ahead of du Preez and Hofmeyr.

“It feels amazing to take out the first event of the year, I’m really stoked,” Scott said. “It makes me feel really confident, plus it was at my hometown. The waves were really fun, despite the cold water!”
Scott, who is in her final school year, won’t be competing on the Challenger Series this year, but has her sights set on qualifying for the 2024/2025 season.
“This year I’m in Matric, so I won’t be doing the Challenger Series, but this win obviously gives me the confidence for next year to try and qualify, because I’d like to compete on the CS. This year I’m just going to do all the local competitions to keep my surfing and rhythm going, so I’m really happy with this win.”


Runner-up and former Challenger Series competitor Jessie van Niekerk was happy with her result, going into the next event as no. 2 on the rankings.
“I’m super grateful, we had really fun waves and that’s all you really want going into an event,” Van Niekerk said. “Thanks to everyone involved for putting on this event. Going into the next competition, obviously I want to qualify, but a lot can happen. I leave it up to God and just do what I need to do, and hopefully get a good result.”

While not eyeing Challenger Series qualification this year, Scott tops the WSL Africa rankings heading into the second and final event of the season next weekend, the SA Open of Surfing at Pollok Beach in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
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Women’s WSL Africa Qualifying Series Rankings
1. Sarah Scott – 1,000 points
2. Jessie van Niekerk – 800 points
3. Aimee du Preez – 650 points
4. Kira Hofmeyr – 600 points
Women’s Final Results at the Cape Town Surf Pro at Kommetjie in Cape Town on Sunday, 17 March, 2024
HEAT 1: Sarah Scott (RSA) 14.16 DEF. Jessie van Niekerk (RSA) 11.60, Aimee du Preez (RSA) 10.23, Kira Hofmeyr (RSA) 8.03
Semifinal Results
HEAT 1: Sarah Scott (RSA) 15.83 DEF. Aimee du Preez (RSA) 8.73, Lily Heny (RSA) 7.90, Natasha van Greunen (RSA) 7.13
HEAT 2: Jessie van Niekerk (RSA) 11.00 DEF. Kira Hofmeyr (RSA) 9.00, Anastasia Venter (RSA) 6.74, Louise Lepront (RSA) 6.17
Quarterfinal Results on Saturday, 16 March
HEAT 1: Natasha van Greunen (RSA) 13.33 DEF. Aimee du Preez (RSA) 9.43; Tanika Hoffman (RSA) 4.74
HEAT 2: Sarah Scott (RSA) 10.33 DEF. Lily Heny (RSA) 7.23, Danielle Powis (RSA) 3.24
HEAT 3: Anastasia Venter (RSA) 11.83 DEF. Kira Hofmeyr (RSA) 8.40; Katie Winter (RSA) 6.66
HEAT 4: Jessie van Niekerk (RSA) 12.90 DEF. Louise Lepront (RSA) 11.00; Emily Winter (RSA) 3.17
Original Copy: WSL Africa with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: South Africa’s Sarah Scott (RSA) pictured in control at her home break to win the 2024 Cape Town Surf Pro, at Kommetjie in Cape Town on Sunday, 17 March, 2024. Photo: World Surf League / Kody McGregor
Photo 2 Caption: Runner-up and former Challenger Series competitor Jessie van Niekerk has her eyes using next weekend’s SA Open of Surfing at Pollok Beach to renew her QS competition. Photo: Kody McGregor/World Surf League
Photo 3 Caption: Aimee du Preez finished behind eventual champ Sarah Scott semifinal’s first Heat, before finishing the event with bronze. Photo: Kody McGregor/World Surf League
Photo 4 Caption: Kira Hofmeyr in did well to finish behind semifinal 2 winner Jessie van Niekerk, before finishing in fourth position in the final. Photo: Kody McGregor/World Surf League
Photo 5 Caption: Cape Town Surf Pro Womens finalists (from left) winner Sarah Scott, runner-up Jessie van Niekerk, Aimee du Preez and Kira Hofmeyr at the World Surf League Cape Town Surf Pro Qualifying Series 1,000 prizegiving on March 17, 2024 at Long Beach in Kommetjie, South Africa. Photo: Kody McGregor/World Surf League