Australia’s Charli Hately won the women’s title at the World Surf League O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior, the third stop of the Africa Junior Qualifying Series, at Ballito in KwaDukuza on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.
It was a beautiful day on the Dolphin Coast, with glassy conditions and fun two-to-three-foot waves offering left and right-hand peaks, as the 17-year-old overcame a strong field of South African contenders to take the top spot on the podium.
After getting a taste of Ballito in the Challenger Series last year, Hately returned with the aim of using the event as a warm-up competition.
Her wave selection proved the point of difference, as she found beautiful running walls to open up her backhand and hit the steep sections with power and flow, putting together some of the best heats of the event.
In the final, Hately opened with a solid 6.00 but left it late to find a backup score, needing a decent wave to take the lead from South Africa’s Louise Lepront. Using her priority, Hately hammered one turn into an oncoming section, and it was enough to secure the win after the buzzer with a total of 10.90.
“I left it a bit late, but I got it done, so I’m really stoked,” said Hately. “It was great to be out there just with three other girls and getting some good practice in before the next comp. I’m happy to be back, I love it here, the sunrises here are just so perfect.”
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South Africa’s top junior, Lepront, delivered a convincing win in the semifinals to book her first Ballito Pro Junior final berth.
Lepront earned a well-deserved runner-up finish on 9.83 and jumps to the top of the WSL Africa Junior rankings, carrying that momentum into the Ballito Open presented by O’Neill Qualifying Series, which begins on Thursday, 9 July 2026.
South Africa’s Emily Jenkinson finished third in the final on 6.83, with Brazil’s Laura Raupp fourth on 6.36.
The O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior is proudly supported by KwaDukuza Municipality, O’Neill, SMTH Shapes, Red Bull, SMG-Yamaha and North Coast Courier.
Original Copy: WSL Africa, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Australian surfer Charli Hately won the 2026 O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior women’s title in KwaDukuza, edging South Africa’s Louise Lepront in a final decided after the buzzer. Photo: Kody McGregor / WSL
Photo 2 Caption: Louise Lepront excelled to reach her first Ballito Pro Junior final, and now leads the WSL Africa Junior rankings. Photo: Pierre Tostee / WSL
Photo 3 Caption: Hately (left) and Lepront, finalists in the 2026 O’Neill SMTH Shapes Ballito Pro Junior women’s event. Photo: Pierre Tostee / WSL
