South Africa’s Sarah Baum has won the World Surf League (WSL) J-Bay Classic Trials presented in two-to-three foot surf in Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
With this win, Baum gets to compete against the elite field of invitees in the J-Bay Classic Presented by Corona Specialty event, which runs from 17-23 June, for which the first call will be on Monday, 17 June at 07:00am.
The waves were pumping for the semi-finals, and South Africa’s Olympic contender performed excellently in her semi-final clash to advance to the finals, scoring almost double her closest competitor, Natasha van Greunen, the two making sure to stay in the medal stakes ahead of Louise Lepront and Faye Zoetmulder.
The top SA surfer on the WSL Challenger Series unleashed her backhand, committing to huge turns in the cascading lip to get an excellent heat total of 16.17 (out of a possible 20).
“It’s so cool to surf J-Bay with just a few people out, which doesn’t happen often. The hype over here is always so crazy, so to be part of it all, I just want to have fun. It’s not often you get to surf events for fun!”
2024 WSL J-Bay Classic Trials Champion, Sarah Baum
In semi-final 2, Zoë Steyn only picked three waves but her two top scores were enough to place her top of the heat going into the final, where she and Cape Town Surf Pro champ Sarah Scott scored well enough to go through with the elimination of Jessie van Niekerk and Sophie Bell.
Unfortunately that was the best part of the day as Supertubes slowed, down bringing long lulls and small waves, but Baum picked off the best waves, showing her experience from competing at Supertubes as a wildcard in the Corona Open J-Bay last year.
In the final, Baum stayed patient and waited for the set waves, surfing smart to bank two good waves. Not pushing too hard, but completing her rides, it was just enough to fend off a commendable performance from Scott, who finished in second place, with Van Greunen and Steyn rounding out the results.
“There were definitely some nerves in the first heat, but it got better,” Baum said. “The Semifinals had great waves, and then the Final was a bit slow, but that’s how it goes. I’m just excited because there are waves coming,” Baum said.
Photo Caption: South Africa international surfer Sarah Baum showed her experience at Supertubes to pick off the best waves and ride the two-to-three foot surf to victory in the WSL J-Bay Classic Trials final at Jeffreys Bay on Saturday, June 15, 2024. Photo: © WSL / McGregor
Photo 2 Caption: Cape Town scholar and Cape Town Surf Pro champ Sarah Scott did excellently to finish second behind Baum. Photo: © WSL / Tostee
Photo 3 Caption: Sarah Baum being congratulated following her win. Photo: © WSL / Tostee
Photo 4 Caption: Natasha van Greunen rounded out the top three at Jeffreys Bay on Saturday. Photo: © WSL / Tostee
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