Oney Anwar granted ASP World Junior wildcard

Team Updates

Oney Anwar first-ever Indonesian surfer to win an ASP Pro Jr. event

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 21 September, 2012 : - - Indonesian surfing sensation Oney Anwar has been awarded one of five international wildcards into the ASP's 2012 Oakley World Pro Junior Championship event, to be held in Bali, October 6-17. For the first time in ASP history, both the Men’s and Women’s 2012 ASP World Junior Champions will be crowned in Bali at the prestigious event.

19-year-old Anwar, who hails from the remote village of Lakey Peak, Sumbawa, is the only Indonesian surfer to be awarded one of the five initial wildcards. It means he will bypass the local trials, where a field of Indonesia's best junior surfers will battle it out for the final two remaining spots in the main event.

Anwar finished 9th on the 2012 ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series, with his best finish coming at the 2012 Billabong Pro in Japan, a four-star open World Qualifier where he was runner-up to Hawaii's Ezekiel Lau. Only the top four rated men and top two rated women surfers from the Australasian regional series qualify for the chance to compete for the ASP World Junior Title in Bali. However, given Anwar's status as the highest rated junior surfer from Indonesia, the ASP elected to give him one of the five coveted wildcard spots.

The primary venue for the Oakley World Pro Junior Championships will be the high-performance righthander at Keramas rivermouth, with a secondary venue of Echo Beach, Canggu. Anwar says he feels equally confident competing in the reefbreak rights of Keramas and the beachbreak peaks of Canggu, having surfed both spots countless times while living in Bali for several years, before moving to his current home in Palm Beach, Australia to finish high school.

“I love surfing Keramas, it's one of my favorite waves in Bali,” Anwar said. “You can get sick barrels out there and it also has a massive turn section. I think it's great to have the comp at Keramas because everyone can show how good they are in really good waves. It's going to be a massive challenge.”

In 2010, Anwar became the first-ever Indonesian surfer to win an ASP Pro Jr. event when he claimed the Dripping Wet Pro Junior at South Curl Curl Beach on Sydney’s northern beaches. Now he has his sights set on becoming the first-ever Indonesian surfer to win an ASP World Pro Junior title.

Past ASP World Junior Champions read like a laundry list of surfing greats, including: Jack Freestone (AUS) 2010, Laura Enever (AUS) 2009, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 2007, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 2006, Adriano De Souza (BRA) 2003, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 2001 and 1999, and Andy Irons (HAW) 1998. “The list of surfers who have won this event is so impressive,” Anwar said. “To even have my name mentioned in the same sentence with those surfers would be like a dream come true.”

Check out Oney Anwar's profile for his latest videos and photos at: asia.ripcurl.com/?oney_anwar. You can follow Oney Anwar’s preparation for the ASP's World Pro Junior Championships by checking out his blog: oneyanwar.tumblr.com Connect with Oney Anwar: Facebook: Oney Anwar. Instagram: lakeypeak1

www.ripcurl.com

Source: Tim Hain

Author: Rosanne Riemersma

Tags: Oney Anwar, Oakley World Junior Champs, Rip Curl

Team: Surfersvillage