Mr Price Pro Ballito to heat up KwaDukuza in 2010

As winter descends on South Africa in July 2010 surfers, sun worshippers and music lovers alike will be toasty warm when they head to the sub-tropical coastline of KwaDukuza on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast for this year’s Mr Price Pro Ballito.

Taking place between July 1 and 11 the Mr Price Pro Ballito is steeped in history as one of the longest running professional surfing events in the world. It attracts many of the world’s top ranked surfers and South Africa’s best to the sun kissed shores of KwaDukuza.

The 5-Star rated Mr Price Pro Ballito is a pillar on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour and the ASP Africa circuit offering elite surfers the promise of valuable ASP ratings points as well as 1 million Rand in prize money at the end of a week long battle in the world-class waves of Ballito.

Top internationals will have their eyes fixed firmly on the Mr Price Pro Ballito crown but few will be as determined as the local contingent eager to join Ricky Basnett (Bluff, Durban), the only South African to win the event since Shaun Tomson’s incredible six title reign in the ‘70’s.

Basnett, a former ASP World Tour competitor, will be back this year to see if he can repeat his 2006 performance while experienced ASP World Tour campaigner Greg Emslie (East London) who placed equal third in the inaugural Mr Price Pro in 2000 is hungrier than ever to return to international competition.

One of the star attractions at this years event will be current world number three Jordy Smith. Smith’s free spirited surfing has changed the course of surfing in recent years and the 22-year-old Durbanite will no doubt be the pace setter as he aims to add his name to the illustrious winner’s scroll.

Royden Bryson (Cape Town), Antonio Bortoletto (Durban), Brandon Jackson (Durban North) and Rudy Palmboom (Bluff, Durban) are some of South Africa’s top ASP WQS campaigners who will also feature in the event along with local stalwarts such as Shane Thorne (Bluff), Frankie Obherholzer (Warner Beach, KZN), Gary Van Wieringen (Warner Beach, KZN) and Gavin Roberts (Scottburgh, KZN) who have proved lethal for the international contingent in the past.

This year sees the addition of two Surfing South Africa Pro Surf Tour events, the 6A rated Surfing South Africa (SSA) Mr Price Pro Women’s event and 6A rated SSA Pro Junior division, both of which will be the biggest PST events ever to be held in South Africa.

Beyrick De Vries (Umhlanga, KZN), Davey Brand (Kommetjie, Cape Town), Matthew Bromley (Long Beach, Cape Town) and Jaco Steyn (Melbosstand, Cape Town) are just a few names to watch out for in the Pro Junior division while Stacey Guy (Melkbosstrand, Cape Town), Sarah Baum (Athlone Park, KZN), Bianca Buitendag (George) and Tanika Hoffman (Kommetjie, Cape Town) will be the girls to beat in the women’s division.

As high performance surfing and finely chiseled bodies keep spectators glued to the surf by day a selection of South Africa’s finest live acts will have audiences rocking by night at the Music Concerts on July 9 and 10.

Farryl Purkiss, Nibs van der Spuy, Ard Matthews, Prime Circle, Flash Republic, the Dirty Skirts and Pixie Bennett and more will perform live on a massive stage under the stars at Salt Rock.

And if that’s not enough to keep you fired up in July then the KwaDukuza Municipality will once again work with the local community and host a beach festival with a range of activities that will have something for the whole family including the Ballito Jazz and Prawn Festival from July 2- 4.

Make sure you don’t miss out on all the hot action at the Mr Price Pro Ballito 2010!