- WSL / Kody McGregor

NAHOON REEF, Buffalo City, Eastern Cape (Friday, August 30, 2024) - The World Surf League (WSL) Junior Qualifying Series (JQS) 1,000 Buffalo City Pro Junior is all set for this weekend at the famed Nahoon Reef break in East London, Eastern Cape. Stop No. 2 on the WSL Africa Regional Junior Tour offer valuable rankings points for the best under-20 surfers in the region, vying for a spot to represent at the World Junior Championships.

Nahoon Reef is a favourite among surfers for its long, peeling right-handers and consistent swells. It's the perfect competition arena and offers spectators a front-row seat to all the action, with the Buffalo City surfing community always there to support from sunrise to sunset.

It's a small field of competitors, but the level of competition will be all-time. Defending event winner and hometown hero Daniel Emslie will be the favourite to go all the way. Emslie's connection to Nahoon Reef is undeniable, and this break has shaped his surfing style and performance. After his commendable performance in 2023, Emslie qualified for the WSL Challenger Series and allowed him to experience the high level of performance at world-class international competitions. Emslie will have tough competition with the likes of fellow Challenger Series surfers, Luke Thompson and Connor Slijpen from Cape Town.

In the women's draw, local favourites Gemma Hanafey and Adriel Wolmarans will rely on their Nahoon Reef knowledge to gain an advantage over top seeds Lily Heny and Louise Lepront. Heny is leading the rankings after her third place finish at the first stop, the O'Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior. Lepront will be fighting to get back the top after she earned an incredible 9th place at last year's World Junior Championships and will look to better her performance on the world stage.

The first call will be on Saturday, 31 August 2024 at 08:00 a.m. GMT+2.

The Buffalo City Pro Junior runs from Saturday, 31 August 2024 to Sunday, 1 September 2024 at Nahoon Reef, East London.

The Buffalo City Pro Junior is proudly supported by Eastern Cape Provincial Government, Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Surfing South Africa and Border Surfing.

World Surf League
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