Kirra Pinkerton produced a commanding finals day performance to win the women’s title at the Ballito Open presented by O’Neill, Stop No. 2 on the World Surf League Africa Qualifying Series, in solid four-to-six-foot surf at Willard Beach in Ballito on Saturday, 11 July 2026.
The San Clemente surfer posted a 13.17 two-wave total (7.00 and 6.17 out of a possible 20) in the 25-minute final to overcome a field featuring Championship Tour surfer Bella Kenworthy (7.20), former Championship Tour campaigner Sophie McCulloch (6.30) and South Africa’s Sarah Baum (4.70), capping three days of pumping competition that drew a deep international field of Championship Tour stars and Challenger Series contenders to the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast.
The judges rewarded committed surfing on the final day, with single-turn manoeuvres in the big, meaty sections earning the bigger scores. Pinkerton opened the final with a huge turn, free-falling and sticking the landing for a 7.00, before waiting patiently for a decent back-up and finding a solid wave in the closing minutes to seal the victory.
The 2018 World Junior Champion, who reached the semi-finals of the Ballito Open in 2025, has been putting in the work to be ready for this year’s Challenger Series, sharpening her game with a wildcard appearance at the El Salvador Pro, and she reaped the rewards with a confidence-building win.
“I’m very grateful for this win.”
2026 Ballito Open USA’s Kirra Pinkerton
“I’ve put in a lot of time in this break, and I got a comp in El Salvador which was really cool, getting some momentum with the CT surfers. Coming here I had a really strong mindset and to start it with a win at the Ballito Open, I’m just building even more confidence for the Challenger Series.”
Baum was the lone South African in the women’s final and dropped some of the highest scores of the event on her way to a second consecutive Qualifying Series final.
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The South African leads the Africa Qualifying Series rankings after her win in Victoria Bay and has solidified her place at the top with this result, loading up on form and confidence on home sand ahead of the biggest week of the season on local shores.
Baum booked her spot in the decider with an 11.17 total in the second semi-final, advancing alongside McCulloch (12.33) at the expense of Isla Huppatz (7.60) and Sanoa Dempfle-Olin (8.90). In the first semi-final, Kenworthy top-scored with a 13.90 and Pinkerton advanced with a 10.40, ending the runs of Ellie Harrison (10.00) and Charli Hately (4.70).
Kenworthy was back on the podium after a cool, calm and composed final, banking valuable time in the water before the Challenger Series begins, while McCulloch is back in Ballito searching for requalification and will be one to watch next week.
South Africa’s Emily Jenkinson and Taylor Emslie bowed out in the Round of 48, Jenkinson posting a 6.06 total in a heavily stacked opening heat and Emslie a 4.34 in heat five, while compatriot Max Kauffman exited in heat eight with a 4.07 after drawing eventual finalist McCulloch and in-form standout Sierra Kerr in a testing draw. Their early exits left Baum to fly the South African flag on finals day, and the Africa rankings leader duly delivered, keeping home hopes alive deep into the closing exchanges of the event.
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Attention now turns to the Ballito Pro presented by O’Neill, the opening stop of the 2026 Challenger Series, which gets underway on Sunday, 12 July 2026, with Baum carrying South African hopes against Pinkerton, Kenworthy, McCulloch and a stacked international field when competition resumes at Willard Beach.
Original Copy: WSL Africa, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Kirra Pinkerton won the women’s title at the Ballito Open presented by O’Neill, Stop No. 2 on the World Surf League Africa Qualifying Series, at Willard Beach in Ballito on Saturday, 11 July 2026. All Photos: Pierre Tostee / WSL Africa
Photo 2 Caption: South Africa’s Sarah Baum strengthened her WSL Africa Qualifying Series lead after a second consecutive final on home sand.
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