Cape Town athletes dominate Vic Bay Surf Pro

After a five-year hiatus, the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) made a welcome return to the Garden Route for the Vic Bay Surf Pro QS1000.

The event, the fifth stop in a series of six events making up the WSL Africa QS 2024/2025 regional tour, attracted the most promising athletes from the African region, all working towards qualifying for the next tier on the pathway to professional surfing, the 2025 Challenger Series (CS). With only four men's and two women's CS slots on offer, the stakes were always going to be high in Victoria Bay.

This was especially true for Natasha van Greunen (inspired by local hero Bianca Buitendag) whose first-ever QS win this weekend catapulted her up from fourth to second on the WSL Africa QS rankings.

"I'm so happy. It feels surreal, but I knew that my time was coming," said an elated Van Greunen, who has made QS finals before, but never won an event.

She said it felt like a breakthrough.

"The start of my final was a bit slow, so I was like 'don't do this again, Tash'. So being able to pull it through in a final and get that win that I kind of just missed every time, it's amazing."

The Muizenberg athlete overcame fellow Capetonian and CS competitor Jessie van Niekerk in the semi-finals to set up a final against East London's Zoë Steyn, who earlier in the day caused a massive upset disposing of WSL QS top-ranked Louise Lepront in the quarter-finals. Deep into the final, it looked like Van Greunen would be the bridesmaid again, but drawing on her experience in beach breaks, she locked in her best two scores on waves number five and six for a total of 12.57 (out of a possible 20) to take the win.

While Lepront's position at the top of the women's QS leaderboard is secure, only nine points separate the second-, third- and fourth-ranked athletes, making stop number six this coming weekend in Cape Town a make-or-break affair for that hotly contested second CS slot.

Natasha van Greunen being chaired up the beach by fellow surfers Joshe Faulkner and Sidy Camara after winning the Vic Bay Surf Pro.

Thompson dominant throughout event

Luke Thompson's win in the men's final against fellow Capetonian and experienced CS competitor Adin Masencamp extended his unassailable lead on the WSL Africa QS leaderboard. Thompson, whose performance was dominant throughout the event, lay down the gauntlet early in the final, locking in his two best scores on his first two waves for a total of 14.17.

"I was super nervous going to surf against Adin. He's got such a good forehand and there was a little rippable right, so I was quite stressed about that. But I just got a nice solid start and then backed it up quickly," said a stoked Thompson.

Showing great sportsmanship, Thompson had nothing but praise for Masencamp, ranked second on the QS.

"Adin is surfing so well. He deserves to be on the Challenger Series, so it's good to see him getting some results."

With CS qualification pretty much guaranteed, Thompson is poised for his third season on what the WSL describes as the launch pad onto the elite Championship Tour (CT), where world champions are crowned.

"I feel like I've had my warm-up on CS. In the first year you don't really expect anything," said Thompson. "Then the second year you put too much pressure on yourself.

I feel like I've found the happy medium. My main goal for the rest of the year is to qualify [for the CT], and I feel like I'm in a place where I can do that."

Runner-up Adin Masencamp, winners Luke Thompson and Natasha van Greunen, and runner-up Zoe Steyn at the prize-giving at the Vic Bay Surf Pro on Sunday 23 March.

Local legend Sean Holmes prior to surfing in heat 7 of the round of 32 at the Vic Bay Surf Pro on Saturday 22 March. He was eliminated in that round.