Billabong team rider Shaun Joubert used superior heat strategy and his patented fins free surfing ability to literally fly to victory in the opening event on the 2010 ASP Africa Pro Junior calendar – the Quiksilver Pro Junior presented by Durban and Resolution at North Beach – in Durban on Sunday.

The 18 year-old standout from Mossel Bay was unstoppable on the final day of the Grade 2 internationally rated event, dispatching Billabong teammate Dale Staples (St Francis Bay) in the quarterfinals before convincingly outscoring reigning ASP Africa Pro Junior champion Chad du Toit (Durban) in the semis to set up a highly anticipated final against Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga).

Joubert took control of the final from the outset, posting a solid 7.0 points out of 10 on his first ride in the small but rippable right-handers before slamming the door on his opponent at the death with an outstanding 8.25 that included a trademark hands free, high-flying aerial.

“It’s so great to win an event again,” said an ecstatic Joubert on the podium. “I’m surfing in all the Pro Junior events in South Africa this year, so I want to keep the momentum going from this win and hopefully get some more good results in the rest of the events.”

The win earned Joubert R19 000 and a precious 1 500 ratings points, rocketing him into the early lead in the rankings that will determine the ASP Africa representatives to compete in the inaugural ASP World Pro Junior Series starting in Bali in October.

“My main goal for the this year is to win the ASP Africa Pro Junior title and I’m also trying to make the top 100 on the WQS ratings,” explained Joubert who matriculated with a B average at the end of last year and turns 19 next month.

“I’m off to Scotland on the weekend to compete in the O’Neill Cold Water Classic, a 6-Star rated WQS event from April 13-19, then its straight back to SA for the Billabong Pro Junior Dolphin Coast that starts on 25 April.”

The super-talented surfer, who was born in Bloemfontein but has grown up and honed his surfing talent in the Southern Cape, has already had a busy start to the year, placing ninth in a Pro Junior and earning a Round of 48 finish in a WQS event in Australia after spending a week of intensive training in Hawaii with Billabong Australia team manager and coach Sasha Stocker.

Joubert’s fellow Billabong SA team riders also shone in all the categories of the Quicksilver Pro Junior event on the weekend with Matthew Bromley (Kommetjie) taking third and Dale Staples fifth in the Pro Junior division, Steven Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay) placed third in the U16 division of the King Of The Groms and Benji Brand (Kommetjie) the runner-up in the U14’s and fifth in the U16’s.

And in the Resolution Health Expression Session, Davey Brand (Kommetjie) produced the best aerial to pocket the R 1 500 Red Bull Got Wings award while Dale Staples won the Resolution Best Wave Award and R1,500 for a wave that opened up across the inside and enabled him to flare with a series of progressive manoeuvres.

Ends

Distributed on behalf of:

Billabong South Africa
Contact:            Ryan Payne
Tel:                   042 200 2600
Email:               ryan.payne@billabong.co.za

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