Dion Agius : photo courtesy Surfing Australia.

Quiksilver Airshow World Series

Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP),
Australasian Speciality Event.

Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast, QLD.

Saturday 23rd November.

Dion Agius upsets established ranks to win Quiiksilver Airshow.

Nightmare continues for Josh Kerr.

Saturday, 23rd November, Maroochydore Qld.

Teenage trialist Dion Agius caused a major upset to the established aerial surfing ranks by winning the Quiksilver Airshow World Series on the Sunshine Coast and claiming his biggest prize purse ever of $10,000. The 17-year-old Gold Coaster who sealed his berth in the main event with a second placing in Friday’s trials pulled off the highest scoring manouevre of the final a ‘cannonball’, posting an 8.33 - to set up his win. The highly touted Currumbin junior surfer narrowly defeated Cronulla’s Kirk Flintoff by a mere (poimt) .4 to claim the crown.

An ecstatic Agius, who had nearly stayed on the Gold Coast to continue his schoolies partying was elated with his victory stating, “I just can’t believe I have beaten these guys, this is only the second Airshow I have competed in, but I have always wanted to do more of them. I saw Kirk just ripping out there so I knew it was close.”

“To make the final was amazing and to win, well I just don’t know what to say. I have watched Kirk and those guys rip and win for years, so I just can’t believe this. I especially want thank my Dad who bring me everywhere but at least I can buy a car now.”

Flintoff, who was left requiring a 8.11 score in the one metre waves of Maroochydore was the form surfer of the one-day tournament, continually performing his trade mark front-side air reverse with ease in front of the large Sunshine Coast crowd. He pulled off two massive signature moves on his way through to final posting a 9.67 in round two and then the day’s top scoring of 9.97 in his semi-final.

Trevor Tripcony : photo courtesy Surfing Australia

West Australia’s Ry Craike finished third, trials winner Paul Evans (Central Coast, NSW) fourth, Sunshine Coast surfer Trevor Tripconny fifth and renowned big air man Dylan Longbottom (Kiamia, NSW) sixth in the final.

The second stop on the 2002/03 Quiksilver Airshow World Series proved a great success with the high level of surfing progressively increasing throughout the day as competitors found their feet in the one metre beach break waves of Maroochydore. The incredible crowd participation with comedian Duncan Wanarski combined with the classic Queensland day made for one of the most highly contested Airshow tournaments ever.

Top seed Dave Reardon-Smith just missed out on securing a finals berth by 1.3 points and was forced to settle for an eighth placing.

Sydney surfer Nick Wallace performed under pressure posting the day’s second highest wave score of 9.87 after he was penalized with an interference call in his round two heat.

The former Sunshine Coaster emerged through the foam after pulling off a massive backside air reverse but failed to capilise to be eliminated in round three.

Josh Kerr at Newcastle : photo courtesy Surfing Australia

Former World Airshow Champion, Josh Kerr (Gold Coast, QLD) lost his ratings lead after withdrawing from the second series event due to a hit and run accident in Hawaii last weekend. The nightmare is continuing for the 18-year-old in Hawaii, Kerr was removed from his return home flight to Australia at Honolulu Airport last night due to the injuries to his right leg. The airline, were not prepared to take any risks of further injury to the young guns shattered shinbone.

Quiksilver Airshow World Series

The 2002/03 Quiksilver Airshow Series comprises of five one-day events
incorporating Newcastle-NSW, Maroochydore-QLD, Portsea-VIC, Piha-New
Zealand and Cottesloe-W.A. Each event shares a prize purse of $20,000 with a winner´s cheque of $10,000. Airshows have created a sub-culture for the world´s most innovative and futuristic surfers and have attracted a strong cult following around the
world.

In this specialised series of surfing contests, competitors attempt to launch themselves as high as possible off a wave into the air, completing a technical aerial ´move´ at the same time. Judges only score manoeuvres performed in the air, as opposed to the more traditional approach of judging surfing manoeuvres on a wave

The next event on the Quiksilver Airshow World Series will be at Portsea, Victoria on the 4th & 5th January.

Official results of Quiksilver Airshow World Series at Maroochydore.

1st Dion Agius $10,000 24 points out of a possible 30


2nd Kirk Flintoff $3,000 23.60 points


3rd Ry Criake $2,000 20.60 points


4th Paul Evans $1,500. 19.60 points


5th Trevor Tripconny $1,000. 18.60 points


6th Dylan Longbottom $500. 7.1 points

Previous reports

# 1 : Top Aerialist Josh Kerr victim of Hit and Run in Hawaii

# 2 : Six surfers advance thru Quiksilver Airshow event trials

More Australasian Surfing News available here

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Media Contacts:

Mark Rayner - Quiksilver Media Manager:

Ph: 0419 509 609

Email: Mark.rayner@qsilver.com.au

Mandy McKinnon

Ph: 0417 079941

Email: mandymac@ozemail.com.au

Sharon Banks

07.55981 825

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