BALLITO, KwaDukuza, South Africa (Sunday, June 29, 2025) - Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri and Lucas Vicente won the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 2,000 Ballito Open presented by Flojos today in two-to-three foot surf. The Ballito Open, Stop No.2 on the regional Africa QS, is one of the biggest competitions in the region thanks to the deep international field it attracts as a warm-up event for the Challenger Series.
Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri Finds Excellence In Dominant Final 18-year-old Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) dominated the women's Final from start to finish in emphatic fashion. Within the first few seconds of the buzzer sounding, she scored an excellent 8.83 (out of a possible 10) for a huge hit into a menacing closeout section, the highest single-wave score of the competition.
The 2024 European Junior champion quickly backed it up with another big turn for a 6.17 for a two-wave total of 15.00 (out of a possible 20) to put Teresa Bonvalot (POR) in a combination situation. As the sun was setting, the scoring opportunities were few and far between for the remainder of the heat and Bonvalot couldn't challenge Etxabarri for the win, settling for runner-up.
"I'm super happy and super tired," said Etxabarri, who had to surf four heats today for the win. "I'm so excited for the Challenger Series. I had no pressure for this competition. I was just surfing and trying to do my best, and I think that helped me to not think about how tired I was in the final!"
Bonvalot stayed busy in her Semifinal against Kirra Pinkerton (USA), pushing hard on her backhand to go vertical in the closeout sections. The Portuguese Olympian impressed with a few aerial attempts, pushing the level of women's surfing.
A relaxed competitor is a dangerous one, and Sarah Baum (RSA) has been lethal since competing back home. Baum, who won the first regional QS stop of the season last week, looked poised to make it back-to-back finals, but she was stopped in her tracks by Etxabarri in the Semifinals.
Lucas Vicente Goes All The Way In Ballito Debut
Surfing their way into the Final from the Round of 64, Lucas Vicente (BRA) and Keijiro Nishi (JPN) have been lighting up the Ballito lineup all weekend long. Both surfers overcame big names to meet each other in their first Final in Ballito.
The Japanese goofy-footer stuck to his heat strategy of getting the first score on the board, and staying busy to build on his score. Vicente held his nerve to wait for a good wave, which he found in the last two minutes of the heat. Taking to the air for a big frontside rotation, Vicente scored a 7-point ride to put an excellent requirement on Nishi, ultimately securing him the win.
"It feels amazing," said Vicente. "It was a long three days, but I'm stoked and thanks to everyone back home who were waking up early to support me. It's my first time here in Ballito, and there's still a long way to go with the Challenger, but a win is a win and I'm enjoying my time, doing what I love."
Nishi is no stranger to Ballito, earning a fifth-place finish in the Challenger Series in 2024. Nishi upset local favourite and defending event winner Luke Thompson (RSA) in a nail-biting Quarterfinal, and then dispatched Jackson Bunch (HAW) in the Semifinal to book his ticket to the Final.
Vicente, 2019 World Junior Champion, came up against 2023 World Junior Champion Jarvis Earle (AUS) in the Semifinal, and his combination of aerial skills and big turns saw him take the win.
After the conclusion of Stop No.2 on the regional QS, Luke Thompson (RSA) and Sarah Baum (RSA) retain the top spot on the rankings. The focus now shifts to Stop No.2 on the Challenger Series, the Ballito Pro presented by O'Neill, which holds a competition window from June 30 to July 6, 2025.
Relive all the action from the Ballito Open presented by Flojos on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL YouTube and free WSL app.
The Ballito Open presented by Flojos is proudly supported by KwaDukuza Municipality, Flojos, Surfing South Africa, Corona Cero, Red Bull, SMG-Yamaha.