The second and final World Surf League (WSL) Africa Qualifying Series (QS) competition for the 2023/2024 season, the SA Open of Surfing is set to run at Pollok Beach, Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape from 23-24 March, 2024.
The WSL Africa Regional QS title is on the line and with 1,000 points on offer, the weekend’s surfing will determine which women qualify for the 2024 WSL Challenger Series (CS).
In the women’s draw, top seed Sarah Scott (RSA) heads into the event brimming with confidence after her first-ever QS win at the Cape Town Surf Pro, but with the high calibre of surfing from an experienced field, it’s anyone’s call on who will take out the SA Open of Surfing title.
Ruling herself out of this season’s WSL Challenger Series, Scott has said that she will not be competing this year, focussing instead on completing her final year at school.
Runner-up in Cape Town, Jessie van Niekerk (RSA) made her CS debut in 2023, and said she’ll aim to requalify for 2024.
“I just want to go out there and do what I need to do to get a good result,” Van Niekerk said. “I know that a lot can happen, so I’ll leave it up to God.”
Van Niekerk is second on the rankings and has a decent lead over experienced CS competitor Natasha van Greunen (RSA), who had a disappointing result at the Cape Town Surf Pro.
“Surfing South Africa is delighted that the SA Open of Surfing is back on the surfing calendar in 2024,” Surfing South Africa General Manager Robin de Kock said.
“The SA Open of Surfing holds a special place in our hearts and we are confident that the event will not only be a huge success but will also provide an unforgettable experience for fans and participants alike. Congratulations to the WSL Africa team for making this happen.”
The first call will be on Saturday, 23 March at 7:00 AM for a possible 7:30 AM start.
The SA Open of Surfing will be supported by Surfing South Africa, Accelerate Sport, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and Red Bull.
Visit WorldSurfLeague.com for more information
Original Copy: WSL Africa, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Jessie van Niekerk (pictured) is focused on qualifying for the Challenger Series, while Sarah Scott heads into the SA Open of Surfing after her first-ever WSL Africa Qualifying Series win, but it’s anyone’s call on who will take the title in Gqeberha considering the experienced field. Photo: (C) WSL / McGregor
Photo 2 Caption: Cape Town scholar Sarah Scott comes to Pollok Beach brimming with confidence after her Kommetjie win last weekend. Photo: (C) WSL / McGregor
Photo 3 Caption: Pre-season favourite Natasha van Greunen will look to make amends for an under-par second round in Cape Town Surf Pro. Photo: (C) WSL / Pierre Tostee
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