Globe Jetty Surf Pro Junior

8 star ASP Australasian Pro junior
Bells Beach, (mobile) Victoria
9 - 15 January 2006 

Heatdraw/Results

Laurie Towner excels at Bells Beach to open the season a winner!

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 15 January, 2006 : - - Northern NSW surfer Laurie Towner (18, Yamba)  won his first Australasian Pro Junior in his best ever performance at the Globe Jetty Surf Pro Junior in excellent conditions at Bells Beach today. 

Towner has always shown a lot of potential through the past two seasons on the Australasian circuit, but until today had never made a final on what is regarded as the toughest domestic professional surfing circuit in the world. But in the very solid and long peeling waves that Bells served up today, Towner was the surfer who always looked like winning as he showed his liking for bigger waves which allowed for his powerful approach to surfing to shine through!
 
In today's final Towner opened strongly with a 7 point ride and mid way through  backed that score up with another 7.75 ride to hold a commanding lead - His opponent today was Avalon beach surfer Tom Rudd who fell early on some critical waves in the final and only found a strong scoring ride with 5 minutes remaining  (7.75) - Rudd never had enough time to get back out the back at Bells and try and secure a second strong score to challenge Towner.
 
It was a tough day of competition with the finalists required to surf 4 grueling heats at Bells, with long paddles and  plenty of set waves to deal with. Towner's quarter final and semi final wins earlier in the day were actually closer than his final -- He defeated Sunshine Coast surfer Julian Wilson in his quarter final by coming from behind and scoring an outstanding 9.5 ride in the final minute and then narrowly defeated highly touted South African surfer Jordy Smith in his semi final - Smith required just a 4 point ride with a minute to go in his semi, paddled into the wave that looked likely to deliver the win but inexplicably slipped from his board!

Laurie Towner event champion : photo Steve Robertson

 
Despite these close results, Towner was a much deserved winner  as throughout the event his big wave surfing skills stood out. He has just returned from his fourth free surfing season in Hawaii where he is reportably creating an impression in surfing large waves and conditions at Bells were obviously to his liking.  - " I certainly enjoy surfing Hawaii and love the challenge of big surf -- Bells this weekend has sort of been big - nothing compared to Hawaii, but big enough to allow for long clean powerful moves and I guess that's what I prefer - It's been a lot of fun surfing these waves and I think we're all happy!
 
 
Like most of the competitors at Bells Beach today, Towner now heads to potentially the most treacherous event on the Australasian Tour - the Balin Pro Junior at the notorious Gunnamatta Beach on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula begins next Wednesday and runs through to Sunday.
 
The last few seasons Gunnamatta has served up 3m plus surf and the strongest rips of any event surfed and again, Towner looks forward to the challenge - "Today's win starts the season perfectly for me and the seasons ratings are my focus -  Gunnamatta I hope has waves like we've had here!"
 
For Avalon surfer Tom Rudd it was also his best ever performance and an excellent start to the season - "I competed in all the events over the past two seasons and this was my first final - It's a good start to the season for me and hopefully I can keep making finals and win a few!"

Heatdraw/Results
 

More information at;- www.surfingaustralia.com  and  www.jettysurf.com.au 

Previous reports:
# 1 : New wave of surfers set for Globe Jetty Surf Pro Junior
# 2 : Globe Jetty Surf Pro Junior - High scores & great waves
# 3 : Globe Jetty Surf Pro Jr - Next generation shine on day 2
# 4 : Globe Jett y Surf Pro Junior expects great w/end waves
# 5 : Sth Coast NSW dominate Globe Jetty Surf Pro Jnr day 4
# 6 : Rising swell and great action at Globe Jetty Pro Junior
# 7 : Big waves at Bells for Juniors - Mason wins girls event 

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Steve Roberston
stever@surfingaustralia.com 
 
Junior Contests - Surfersvillage