Barton's best crowned at Hurley event

Jared Hickle © Smith / Surfing NSW

BL's Blast Off
Presented by Hurley

Surfing New South Wales
Palm Beach/Avalon/Whale Beach New South Wales
23 - 25 September 2012

Finals light up at BL's Blast Off presented by Hurley

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 27 September, 2012 : - - The final day of BL’s Blast Off kicked off this morning in playful two-foot waves at Whale Beach, Sydney. From the moment the first hooter sounded at 8am, grommets were going full-throttle surfing, hunting for prizes and playing on the beach. However, it was the action of the finals that kept the spectator’s eyes glued to the ocean.

Jada Thomas was the convincing winner in the under-six girls, notching up four straight heat wins over the four day event. Ava Roberts and Jocelyn Sellar both finished in equal second. Corey Lawson took out the under-six boys with three heat wins and a runner-up throughout the event. He pipped past Nate Hopkins, Jack McDonald and Sockie Norris to walk away with the win and a truckload of product for his efforts.

Carly Shanahan was victorious in the under-8 girls taking the win away from Cedar Leigh Jones and Gabi Spake. In the under-8 boys, Narrabeen duo Kobi Clements and Emerson Raper attacked the fun little peaks with gusto and confidence. Emerson hit the lineup without any parental assistance and proceeded to perform an array of frontside turns, but it was Kobi who got the nod, with Jan Juc’s Ethan Huxtable finishing in second and Emerson in third.

Liana Wheatley and her sister Kirra finished in first and second respectively in the under-10 girls after a strong display of textbook maneuvers in the final. Zali O’Toole and Charli Allport finished in third and fourth. Event standout Xavier Huxtable consolidated on his previous heat brilliance with an awesome performance in the under-10s boys final. The Jan Juc surfer stole the win away from Zayne Olsson and Finn Hill who both finished in second and third.

Alyssa Lock took down her fellow competitors in the under-12s final with an awesome display of backhand cracks on long right-hand waves. Alysse Cooper finished in second position with Macy Callaghan finishing in third and Bodhi Leigh-Jones in fourth. Kyuss King fought a ferocious battle to win the under-12 boys final. In one of the events best heats, Kyuss managed to notch up multiple high scoring waves to topple Sandon Whittaker, Kehu Butler and Jack Murray who all finished in second, third and fourth.

After seven years of competing in BL’s Blast Off and finishing second in every division, Holly Wawn managed to win the under-14s division in her final year in the event. Holly toppled Billie Melinz, Rubie Reents and Katie Norton to score her maiden and final win in the event. In the under-14s Jared Hickle took down an all-star final to score a win. Jared remained relatively quiet throughout the event and seemed to save the best until last when he took down Chris Zaffis, Kai Warner and Harley Ross-Webster with a combination of critical turns.

On the event, former World Champion surfer and Contest Director Barton Lynch said: "I couldn't be happier with this years event. The level of surfing seems to improve every year and it continues to astound me. Bring on 2013."

Under-14 boys
1- Jared Hickle
2- Chris Zaffis
3- Kai Warner
4- Harley Ross-Webster
5- Nathan Martin
6- Luke Hamilton

Under-14 girls
1- Holly Wawn
2- Billie Melinz
3- Rubie Reents
4- Katie Norton
5- Ella Donohue
6- Karla Thompson
7- Lily Halliday

Under-12 boys
1- Kyuss King
2- Sandon Whittaker
3- Kehu Butler
4- Jack Murray
5- Mikey Mcdonagh
6- Morgan Cibilic

Under-12 girls
1- Alyssa Lock
2- Alysse Cooper
3- Macy Callaghan
4- Bodhi Leigh-Jones
5- Kirra-Belle Olsson
6- Kiara Meredith

Under-10 boys
1- Xavier Huxtable
2- Zayne Olsson
3- Finn Hill
4- Finn Askew
5- Connor Lee
6- Cole Fox

Under-10 girls
1- Liana Wheatley
2- Kirra Wheatley
3- Zali O’Toole
4- Charli Allport
5- Leilanie Smith
6- Claire Bierke

Under-8 boys
1- Kobi Clements
2- Ethan Huxtable
3- Emerson Raper
4- Tane Dobbyn
5- Winter Vincent
6- Logan Steinwede

Under-8 girls
1- Carly Shanahan
2- Cedar Leigh Jones
3- Gabi Spake
4- Lily Macdonald
5- Keira Buckpitt
6- Evie Coulter

Under-6 boys
1- Corey Lawson
2- Nate Hopkins
3- Jack Macdonald
4- Sockie Norris
5- Harry Askew
6- = Archi Allport, Hugh Vaughn

Under-6 girls
1- Jada Thomas
2- Ava Robers
3- Jocelyn Sellar
4- Marli Dodson
5- Molly Laing
6- Izzy Allen

BL's Blast Off 2012 has a strategic relationship with our mates at Surfing NSW and they will be assisting with parts of the running of this years event. New to BL's Blast Off 2012 are Contour Action Sports Cameras as the official camera of the event. Board Bog are managing the repair hub of BL's Blast Off, Beecraft are back to support it yet again, Future Fins are on hand and Amazon Power fuels BL's Blast Off.

FUEL TV is featuring air a six-minute episode on high rotation for the month of December 2012, Surfing World and Coastalwatch.com is again Blast Off's online and media partner. With extensive web coverage from sites such as Bluesnapper.com.au, waxheads.com, surfingnsw.com.au & Surfrider.org.au.

The event is also proudly supported by Electric, FU Wax, Fantasea', Beach Without Sand, Chill Surfboards, Street Boardz, Contour Cameras, Solid Racks, Future Fins, Native shoes, Icon Jewellery, Dunes Restaurant, Subway Avalon, Iluka Apartments Palm Beach, Sydney Beach House Collaroy, Bakers Delight Avalon, 123 Signs, Staedtler, Acco Australia & Roy Leggo.

www.hurley.com
www.surfingnsw.com.au