- WSL / IAN THURTELL

Small and onshore waves didn't deter the best junior surfers in the country as they tore the Seal Point waves apart in their bids for event and series titles. In an exciting finish to the 2014 Billabong Junior Series presented by BOS, the finalists all threw caution to the wind, going for broke in the marginal conditions.

The Pro Junior Men's Final heat was an action-packed affair. Adin Masencamp, showing some fatigue after winning his U16 final, placed fourth, and Josh Smit failed to find the connecting waves and came in third. J-Bay surfer Dylan Lightfoot, who was surfing fast and dynamic, wasn't able to beat an in-form Shane Sykes, who dominated the Final and earned the biggest heat score of the event in the process.

"I'm stoked with the way that Final went," Sykes said afterwards. "The waves were so much fun out there, and with the onshore it reminded me a lot of where I surf in Durban, in Ballito. I was feeling confident and have had a pretty good run lately, with a good board, so it was a great event or me."

Emma Smith was in top form throughout the Billabong Pro Junior Series finale. Emma Smith was in top form throughout the Billabong Pro Junior Series finale. - WSL / Kody McGregor

The Pro Junior Women's Final was a close one, with J-Bay sisters Emma and Gina Smith placing first and second, with Teal Hogg and Crystal Hulett in third and fourth, respectively.

In the U12 Boys Final, it was young York Van Jaarsveldt who outpointed Tide Lee Ireland for the win, while in the U14 Girls division it was Kirsty McGillivray who took the win from Anne Jellema-Butler. In the fiercely contested U14 Boy Final, it was Sebastian Williams who took victory over Koby Oberholzer.

Ruth Armstrong won the U16 Girls division beating Hulett, while Masencamp took out the U16 Boys division by defeating Alex Van Rijswick.

Outside of the title race, contestants were acknowledged for innovative and powerful surfing. These secondary awards were distributed as follows:

  • The BOS Surfer Of The Contest Award went to Adin Masencamp for winning the U16 Boys and making the Pro Junior Men's Final.

  • The Nixon WTA Award for the highest heat score went to Shane Sykes for his massive 18.50 total in the Pro Junior Final.

  • The DaKine Youthful Movement Award went to Shane Sykes for an innovative fins-free move in the Pro Junior Final

  • The KR Fins-free Award went to Alex Van Rijswijck.

  • The Dennis Ellis Underground Ripper Awards went to Taghiti Gericke and Johnathan Coffey.

  • The VonZipper Brainblast Off Airshow was won by Diran Zakarian for a huge backhand air-reverse.

  • The BOS Surfer Of The Series Award for the most consistent surfer of the series across all age divisions went to Emma Smith for winning all three Pro Junior Women's events during the year.
World Surf League
Download it for free on the App store. Download it for free on Google Play.