It was another impressive display of South African skating talent showdown at the Ballito Bowl last Saturday (28 June), with Cape Town’s Thalente Biyela taking first place in the O’Neill Ballito Bowl Skate Jam Open category, while Ballito’s own Ezra Vosloo earned the top spot in the Groms. Spectators at this epic Ballito Pro festival event were also treated to Olympic-level skills as Joburg’s Brandon Valjalo took home the prize for the Best Trick category after impressing the judges.
Biyela (31), a Durban Beach Park original, has made a name for himself in the Mother City with his epic story from the streets to professional skateboarder captured in the award-winning documentary, I am Thalente, featuring Tony Hawk and co-produced by Salema Masekela.
Speaking after his win, Biyela enthused, “The event was very well put together, including the promotion of it, which helps a lot. I just really loved the atmosphere of the whole thing; having all the locals showing support was so amazing. I also spent many years here before moving to Cape Town, so it feels like a second home!”
He added, “It was great seeing all the young new talent coming up, and seeing the progression from the past few events is absolutely mind-blowing. Competing alongside some of the younger girls just made it an all-around incredible experience. I’m so stoked to have been a part of it all. Looking forward to next year!”
Skating local, Ezra Vosloo (14) not only took first prize in the Grom’s division – he also landed 3rd spot in the Open’s division as well. This was a fantastic send off for the youngster who is soon heading Down Under.
“I was so stoked to win the Groms U16 Division and make it onto the podium for the Open Division in the O’Neill Ballito Bowl Skate Jam. I’ve worked really hard for this, skating as much as I can. It has been a goal of mine for a while to be placed in the top 3 with all the legendary South African skaters,” said Vosloo.
“I’m really looking forward to the new chapter in my life as I’m moving to Torquay in Victoria, Australia, so these results were a perfect way to end my time in Ballito. I really love skating – it’s by far one of the best feelings in the world!”
Best Trick winner was Red Bull’s Brandan Valjalo (26), a two-time Olympian and four-time South African champion. He has vast experience on the international skating scene, having competed in the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics, the World Skate Championships, the World Cup Series, as well as claiming the African Championship title at Ultimate X in 2017.
“It was super cool to see females competing against males in the Grom’s division, and it came down to Joburg’s Ashley getting on the podium in second,” said an enthusiastic Valjalo. “I ended up coming second in the qualifiers and was feeling good in the bowl contest, but being more of a street skater, I implemented some of the street obstacles into my line, which gave me the diversity and use of course credibility from the judges.”
He says while it went really well, he unfortunately suffered from spasms before the finals, forcing him to pull out at the last minute. However, some on-site treatment saw him making it to the Best Trick category.
“I incorporated one of the street obstacles into the bowl and came through with a kickflip manual, all the way around and dropped down 50 into the bowl for the first trick,” he explained, adding that for his second trick, he impressed judges by popping into the deep end from the top rope.
“It was super cool to be there and bring the community together – such a cool vibe, with a lot of shredding and skating. You could definitely tell the local skaters based on their lines in the bowl – it was great to see.”
This is Valjalo’s second competition since competing at the Olympics in Paris, having taken first place in the Kimberly Diamond Cup earlier this year. His jam-packed schedule will see him skating around the city and catching some of the surfing during the Ballito Pro. He then heads to Europe to compete in the World Cup skating circuits before jetting to Washington, USA, in September for the Olympic qualifiers.
Markus Müseler of OSP Events Co said, “Another great Ballito Pro Skate Jam is in the books, and the OSP Events team is already looking forward to the 2026 edition. Epic skating, an unbeatable vibe, and an incredible crowd!”
Header Image: Olympian and street skating legend Brandan Valjalo (JHB) takes home the Best Trick prize at the O’Neill Ballito Bowl Skate Jam with a mind-blowing combo that wowed the crowd and judges alike. credit: Luke Patterson
O’Neill Ballito Bowl Skate Jam 2025 Results
Open Division
1. Thalente Biyela (Cape Town)
2. Kalvyn Mac Millan (Ballito, KZN)
3. Ezra Vosloo (Ballito, KZN)
4. Josh Beukes (JHB)
5. Josh van Zyl (Ballito, KZN)
Grom’s Division
1. Ezra Vosloo (Ballito, KZN)
2. Ashley Gindre (Randburg, JHB)
3. Jamie Charlton Jones (Ballito, KZN)
4. Adnir Tait
5. Levi Vosloo
6. Manqoba Ndwandwe
